- A Minute of Silence, A Century of Gratitude
- If Atatürk Were Alive: Where Would Türkiye Stand in Defence and Aviation?
- Have We Created the Country Atatürk Would Have Wanted to See?
- KAAN and Bayraktar: Atatürk’s Technological Vision Takes Flight
- A Dream in 1933, A Global Power in 2025 – 92 Years Today
Dear readers,
09:05…
The city falls silent, engines stop, footsteps freeze.
Even the wind seems to stand at attention.
A minute of silence…
Yet within that silence echoes the gratitude, love and longing of an entire nation.
Today is the 10th of November.
An eternal page in the memory of a nation…
Our eyes drift into the distance, our hearts bear the same ache:
“If only he were still with us today.”
To commemorate Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is to keep alive his thoughts, his principles, and his vision that transcended his time.
For the greatest legacy Atatürk left us is the awareness of being a nation that thinks, questions, and advances.
Every 10th of November, the same question arises:
If Atatürk were alive today, what would he do?
But perhaps the real question should be:
Have we created the country he would have wanted to see?
“We miss you – but more importantly, we continue to understand and keep you alive.”
If Atatürk Were Alive: What Would the Defence and Aviation Sector Look Like?
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was not only a commander or a statesman; he was also a visionary leader in technology.
Even in the early years of the Republic, he grasped the importance of industry, technology and aviation; in 1925, he said, “Nations that do not produce aircraft cannot protect their independence,” emphasising the strategic value of this field.
Under his directives, TOMTAŞ (Turkish Aircraft and Engine Corporation) was founded in 1926 — the precursor of today’s TUSAŞ.
However, due to economic hardship, external pressures, and post-war exhaustion, the venture was short-lived.
Had Atatürk lived longer, he would have persistently supported these initiatives, and by the 1950s, Türkiye could have been a nation producing its own fighter aircraft.
By the 1960s, we might have had an indigenous jet engine; by the 1980s, a domestic helicopter; and by the 2000s, a fully national combat aircraft.
The point of pride we’ve reached today with the KAAN project might have been achieved 40–50 years earlier.
Atatürk understood that the most dangerous form of dependency was “dependence on foreign weapons and ammunition.”
Under his leadership, Türkiye would likely have focused early on the production of national munitions, artillery, tanks, and armoured vehicles.
An institution similar to a “National Defence Industry Undersecretariat” might have been established as early as the 1930s.
That could have made Türkiye not only a regional but also a global defence producer.
Institutions like ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, and HAVELSAN might have been founded not in the 1970s, but perhaps in the 1930s.
Atatürk was a leader who believed in science.
Even in the 1930s, he supported work in astronomy and physics.
With his vision, Türkiye might have joined the “space race” alongside the USA and the Soviet Union in the 1960s.
A Turkish-made observation satellite could have been orbiting Earth by the 1980s.
If Atatürk were alive, the culture of “university–industry–military” cooperation would have been established much earlier.
This would have nourished not only the defence industry but also fields such as electronics, software, and artificial intelligence.
In other words, the spirit of today’s TEKNOFEST might have become a state policy even back then.
If Atatürk were alive, Türkiye today would be:
• Fully independent,
• Producing its own engines, radars, and satellites,
• A powerful technology nation exporting its products.
In short, had he lived, the principle of “Peace at home, peace in the world” would have been supported by technological deterrence.
And perhaps today, many countries around the world would be using Turkish aircraft, rockets, and software.
Today, Türkiye is among the few countries capable of designing and producing its own aircraft.
The KAAN (National Combat Aircraft), developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), has placed us in the league of fifth-generation fighter jets.
From its engine to its radar, from its cockpit software to its materials — a monumental leap towards full independence.
Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2, Akıncı, and Kızılelma projects are hailed by the international press as “game changers.”
Today, Turkish UAVs are exported to more than 30 countries.
The Independence Drive in Defence
Türkiye’s dependence on foreign sources is steadily decreasing.
National submarines, frigates, air defence systems, armoured vehicles, and rocket technologies are emerging one by one.
ASELSAN: A world-renowned brand in radar, electronic warfare, and communication systems.
ROKETSAN: Advancing in guided missile and space rocket systems.
HAVELSAN: Producing strategic solutions in software, simulation, and cyber security.
STM: A pioneer in smart engineering and naval systems.
These institutions form the backbone of the national technology ecosystem.
Türkiye in Space and Beyond
The Turkish Space Agency has taken steps toward domestic rocket launch and satellite projects.
The first Turkish astronaut has gone to space, and the national satellite İMECE is operating in orbit.
The target now lies beyond the sky itself.
As of 2024, defence exports have surpassed 5 billion dollars, with a goal of 15 billion by 2030.
Each new project creates fresh opportunities for employment and innovation for local engineers, technicians, and entrepreneurs.
A century ago, a leader said, “Nations that cannot make their own aircraft cannot be independent.”
Today, a country carries his legacy:
Türkiye — flying on its own wings, challenging the world with its own technology.
The 92-Year Journey of Turkish Airlines
On 20 May 1933, when it was founded in a modest hangar with five small aircraft and a team of 24, no one imagined those wings would one day span the entire globe.
That first step, taken as “State Airlines Administration,” was the Republic of Türkiye’s first signature in the sky.
In the 1930s, seeing an aircraft was a major event. The first flights, led by Fesa Evrensev, connected Ankara, Eskişehir, Adana, and Istanbul.
Each take-off was an act of courage; each landing, an achievement. In those years, pilots navigated not only the skies but also the dreams of a nation.
As the post-war world reshaped itself, Türkiye built its own skies. In 1947, the Istanbul–Athens route marked the first step of Turkish civil aviation into the international arena.
In 1955, the company’s name changed to Turkish Airlines Inc.
A new name for a new era. With jet-powered aircraft joining the fleet in the 1960s, Turkish Airlines was no longer just carrying passengers — it was carrying the pace of a civilisation’s modernisation.
Paris, London, Frankfurt, Rome… Europe was no longer far away.
The 1980s and 1990s were turbulent years for Turkish Airlines — economic crises, accidents, political instability.
Yet every fall was followed by a take-off. In 1994, part of its shares were publicly offered, making Turkish Airlines a brand owned by the people.
New aircraft, new destinations, a renewed confidence.
Türkiye’s voice began to be heard in the cabins of THY.
In the 2000s, Turkish Airlines was reborn.
A new corporate identity, global advertising campaigns, and sponsorship deals with star athletes strengthened the brand.
Then came the historic step in 2008: joining Star Alliance.
Turkish Airlines was no longer just Türkiye’s carrier — it had joined the world’s club of airlines.
Its slogan “Globally Yours” was engraved in the sky.
Campaigns featuring Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi carried the brand to the international stage.
From the 2010s onwards, THY earned the title of “Europe’s Best Airline” in the Skytrax awards for eight consecutive years.
Istanbul Airport and New Horizons
With the opening of Istanbul Airport in 2019, Turkish Airlines found a new home.
It became not just an airline, but one of Türkiye’s global showcases.
The title “the airline flying to the most countries in the world” was well earned — those wings now reach over 130 nations.
In 2020, the world came to a halt. Airports emptied, planes were grounded.
Yet Turkish Airlines did not give up. As passenger flights stopped, Turkish Cargo took the lead.
By transporting masks, medicines, and medical supplies, the name of Türkiye remained in the skies.
New Horizons, New Agreements
Today, in 2025, Turkish Airlines is 92 years old.
With a fleet of over 500 aircraft, it boasts one of the largest in Europe.
The landmark agreement for 225 aircraft with Boeing, the €300 million investment in Air Europa, and new partnerships across Africa and the Middle East show that Turkish Airlines has become a true global power.
The Wings of a Nation
The story of Turkish Airlines is not just about planes, runways, or tickets.
It is a story born from the courage of the Republic, the dreams of a nation, and the confidence of a brand opening Türkiye to the world.
What began in 1933 with five aircraft has now become a network of hundreds tracing routes across the sky.
At every take-off and landing, the two words written on the nose of those planes carry the same meaning:
“Türkiye.”
I wish all pilots, ground staff, and aviation professionals a safe and peaceful week.
Aero Haber X-Twitter you can follow his account. Follow
