CONDOLENCE MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shared a message of condolence for our heroes who were martyred in the helicopter crash in Qatar. In his message, President Erdoğan said, “I learned with great sadness the news that our Turkish Armed Forces and ASELSAN personnel and members of the Qatar Armed Forces were martyred in the helicopter crash that occurred in Qatar. I pray for God’s mercy on our heroic soldier, our ASELSAN personnel, and our friend and brother Qatar soldiers who were martyred in this tragic accident; I express my condolences to their families. My condolences to our country, our nation and the people of Qatar.”

I learned with great sadness the news that our Turkish Armed Forces, ASELSAN personnel and members of the Qatar Armed Forces were martyred in the helicopter crash in Qatar. To our heroic soldier who was martyred in this tragic accident, to our ASELSAN personnel, to our friend and brother Qatar…

— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) March 22, 2026

Last minute | President Erdoğan: “My condolences to our country and Qatar”

“WE WISH GOD’S PEACE TO OUR MARTYRS”

Regarding the crash of a helicopter belonging to the Qatar Armed Forces, AK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik said, “We wish God’s mercy to our martyrs who are members of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and our martyrs who are technicians working at ASELSAN.”

In his post on his social media account, Çelik said, “We wish God’s mercy to our martyr, a member of the Turkish Armed Forces, who was martyred as a result of the accident of a helicopter belonging to the Qatar Armed Forces, and to our technician martyrs working at ASELSAN. Our condolences to our nation, the heroic Turkish Armed Forces and ASELSAN. We wish God’s mercy to the members of the Qatar Armed Forces who lost their lives. Our condolences to the brotherly people of Qatar.” We wish,” he said.

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS DURAN: CONDOLENCES TO OUR NATION

Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said, regarding the crash of a helicopter belonging to the Qatar Armed Forces, “1 personnel from the Turkish Armed Forces, 2 personnel from ASELSAN and 4 personnel from the Qatar Armed Forces were martyred.”

Director of Communications Duran, in his post on his social media account, said, “During the training activities carried out within the Qatar-Turkish Combined Joint Force Command, 1 personnel from the Turkish Armed Forces, 2 personnel from ASELSAN and 4 personnel from the Qatar Armed Forces were martyred as a result of a helicopter belonging to the Qatar Armed Forces falling into the sea due to a technical malfunction. May God have mercy on our martyrs; patience to their families, our Turkish Armed Forces, ASELSAN and the friendly people of Qatar.” “I offer my condolences and condolences to our nation.”

On the second day of the holiday, there was heavy visit traffic between political parties at the Nationalist Movement Party Headquarters. The celebration program started with the reception of the DSP delegation. The guests hosted at the MHP Headquarters were welcomed by MHP Deputy Chairman Zühal Topcu, Politics and Leadership School Coordinator, MYK Member Turan Şahin and MHP Chairman’s Chief Advisor, MYK Member Özgür Bayraktar. MHP and DEM Party celebrated for the third time after the launch of the “Terror-Free Türkiye” target. During the meeting, the parties emphasized that the process is progressing by emphasizing dialogue, reconciliation and peace. Topcu said, “Political history in Türkiye changed with the call made by our Chairman Devlet Bahçeli. Significant progress has been made in the state’s project, and there is support from the citizens.” DEM Party Deputy Co-Chairman Yüksel Mutlu said, “Although we do not agree with the entire report, there are parts we find positive. As DEM, we are doing our best. Bahçeli said, ‘Let Öcalan come and speak in the Parliament. We believe that it is important for this to happen and we should all make an effort to make it happen as soon as possible.” The third meeting was with the AK Party. During the visit, Iran and the US/Israel war were discussed. The program continued with the Felicity Party, DEVA Party, CHP and Future Party.

On the second day of Eid al-Fitr, ‘Iran war’ and ‘Terror-free Turkey’ left their mark on the celebrations between political parties. AK Party Headquarters was visited by delegations of MHP, HUDA PAR, Anavatan, BBP, DSP, İYİ Party, Homeland Party, DEM Party, True Path Party, Felicity Party, Re-Welfare Party, Future Party, Key Party and DEVA Party, respectively, on the occasion of Ramadan Feast. Within the scope of the celebration program, the first visit to the AK Party Headquarters was made by the MHP delegation led by MHP Deputy Chairman Sadir Durmaz. DEVA celebrated for the first time with Future and Key Parties.

PEACE AND STABILITY

AK Party Deputy Chairman Belgin Uygur, during the Eid celebration with the MHP delegation, mentioned that it was a holiday in the shadow of conflicts and said, “Both our Ramadan Feast and today’s Nevruz mean ‘resurrection’, and may it lead to the prosperity and relief of our brothers there. I hope the oppression and conflicts will end.” Underlining that Türkiye is an island of peace and stability in a geography surrounded by a ring of fire on all sides, Uygur said, “As the People’s Alliance, as an alliance that truly focuses on the interests of the country, the unity, solidarity and integrity of the country and our nation, our priority is the peace, tranquility and security of each of our 86 million individuals and the security of our borders.” Stating that the unjust attacks on Iran following the genocide in Gaza caused the Eid to be bittersweet, MHP Deputy Chairman Sadir Durmaz said, “We hope that this Eid will lead to a process in which these sufferings end and brotherhood, peace and harmony prevail both in our region and in the world.”

Continuing its domestic and national moves in the defense industry without slowing down, the Machinery and Chemical Industry is launching a new generation system that will change the balance in naval operations. Developed with the “Effective-Simple-Cheap” approach, PİRANA Kamikaze Unmanned Marine Vehicle (KİDA) is preparing to become the new striking force of the Naval Forces by attacking targets with the swarm concept. Developed in accordance with asymmetric warfare conditions, PİRANA can operate both alone and in a swarm. While some vehicles occupy the enemy’s radar and defense systems during the operation, other PIRANAs with low radar signature infiltrate the target and carry out the destruction with the warhead on them. This feature makes the system extremely effective in the field. Equipped with radio frequency (RF) and satellite (SATCOM) communication systems, PİRANA can operate both remotely controlled and autonomously. The system, which can be dispatched and managed from thousands of kilometers away thanks to its satellite control capability, provides operational flexibility by eliminating geographical boundaries. Drawing attention with its speed of over 40 knots and high maneuverability, PİRANA stands out in missions that require rapid intervention. The system, which carries a 100-kilogram warhead, provides effective results even at long distances with a mission range exceeding 200 nautical miles. In tests carried out in 2025, PİRANA proved its success by destroying a 3.5-meter target with full accuracy. According to experts, PİRANA KİDA will be among the critical systems that will change the course of naval wars in the near future.

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır stated that the SOM-J cruise missile, developed by the Defense Industry Research and Development Institute (SAGE) of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), hit its target accurately in the last firing test carried out with a live warhead. In his statement, Kacır stated that the cruise missile SOMJ, developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE with national resources, successfully completed its last firing test with a live warhead. Pointing out that SOM-J will significantly increase Türkiye’s deterrence in the strategic field, Kacır said, “Our national cruise missile, SOM-J, signed by TÜBİTAK SAGE, hit its target accurately in the last firing test carried out with a live warhead. Developed for critical attack missions with its low flight capability and high maneuverability, our missile will be an important force multiplier in the field with its high sensitivity and low visibility features.” Kacır stated that the integration process of SOM-J with KAAN and KIZILELMA platforms continues at full speed. Kacır shared the video showing the capabilities of the SOM-J missile on his NSosyal account.

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that since the beginning of 2026, the number of applicants to become UAV pilots has increased by 236 percent compared to the first three months of last year. Minister Uraloğlu made a statement regarding the number of people applying for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and UAV pilot licenses in Türkiye. Pointing out the increase in applications thanks to the training and studies carried out by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (SHGM) in the field of civil aviation in recent years, Minister Uraloğlu said, “54 thousand 75 people have applied to become UAV pilots since the beginning of 2026. Compared to the first three months of last year, the number of people who want to become UAV pilots has increased by 236 percent.”

APPLICATIONS INCREASED

Reminding that DGCA has created a special registration system for UAVs within the scope of the “UAV Systems Instruction”, Minister Uraloğlu said that this provides great convenience in the permit, flight and registration of these vehicles. Minister Uraloğlu said, “The use of UAVs in different sectors such as agricultural pesticide, photography, cinema, mapping, traffic, security, shipping and health has increased considerably. We have registered 1,091 new UAVs since the beginning of the year.” Uraloğlu stated that the number of UAVs registered and in use in the UAV Registration System as of March 17, 2026 is 77 thousand 616, and shared the information: “The number of people with a UAV pilot license registered in the system has reached 1 million 655 thousand 918.”