The preparation phase, which began with the technology transfer agreement signed between TÜBİTAK and ERBAB in 2021, has been completed. The ceremony to commence production for the 3rd Batch Metal Mine Detector Procurement Project for the Land Forces Command was held on Tuesday, July 9. The ceremony was attended by the family of Lieutenant Ozan Olgu Köreke, who the Ozan Metal Mine Detector is named after. Lieutenant Köreke was martyred on October 23, 2017, when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by terrorists detonated in the rural area of Çukurca.
The event started with a moment of silence for the martyrs and the national anthem. Following the speeches, the family of Martyr Lieutenant Ozan Olgu Köreke performed the first soldering of the devices that will be delivered to the armed forces after the technology transfer.
Aydanur Köreke, the mother of Martyr Lieutenant Ozan Olgu Köreke, expressed her pride in having her son's name live on in a technology that saves lives and her hope that the developed technologies will put an end to the loss of life caused by mines and IEDs. His father, Hüseyin Köreke, thanked the TÜBİTAK BİLGEM and the COMIT consortium team, which is responsible for the production of the Ozan Mine Detector.
The event was attended by representatives from the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), the Land Forces Command, TÜBİTAK BİLGEM, BASDEC (Bursa Aerospace and Defense Cluster), and COMIT consortium partners ERBAB, Ons Aviation, Emre Machinery, and Öztuğ Automotive. Participants from TÜBİTAK BİLGEM included Dr. Hakkı Murat Genç, Dr. Hakkı Nazlı, Ersin Özkan, Ahmet Karaca, Doğu Vural Özbudak, and Ömer Faruk Aydın.
Dr. Hakkı Murat Genç, Deputy Director of the Information Technologies Institute, stated that the Ozan Mine Detector was the result of intensive and dedicated work by the team at the TÜBİTAK BİLGEM Mine and Improvised Explosive Device Countermeasures Test and Research Center (MEKTAM). He emphasized that the detector is a successful product that is highly regarded, thanks to the support of the SSB and the Land Forces Command.
The 3rd Batch Metal Mine Detector Procurement Project for the Land Forces Command is significant as it is the first SSB-supported project where Bursa companies are the main contractors. This project is seen as an important starting point for increasing Bursa's contribution to the defense industry and for the sector's expansion nationwide.
It is planned that the Ozan Metal Mine Detector, which has been successfully produced and supported in the field by TÜBİTAK BİLGEM, will be used and disseminated more effectively with the support of the private sector through technology transfer.