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Indra aims to accelerate its activities in Turkey by its new office in Ankara

Indra is the premier information technology company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. Indra has taken significant achievements in some projects such as Turkey's air traffic surveillance network, Helsim project and Indra is one of the candidates of CBRN Mobile laboratories project. Recently Indra established a new office in Ankara. Within this scope, we made an interview with Mr. Manuel Flecha, General Manager of Indra on its activities in Turkey and its strategies and upcoming plans.

1-First of all, Could you please tell us something about the organization, history, expertise, mission and vision of Indra?

Indra is the premier Information Technology company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. It is ranked as the second European company in its sector according to stock market capitalisation, and also the second Spanish company with the most investment in R&D. In 2008, revenues reached € 2,380 M, of which a third came from the international market. The company employs more than 29,000 professionals and has clients in more than 90 countries.





2- It is well known that Indra provides global solutions based on in-house solutions to defense departments all over the world and belongs to leading consortiums and participates in multinational programs of the sector.. What are Indra’s lines of activity and core capabilities in defence, security and aviation?

Indra has being providing defence electronics systems since 1921 when started to develop shipboard stabilized fire control for naval artillery, till now being the first supplier of avionics equipment for the Eurofighter 2000 and the single European supplier of the US DoD, in areas as radar, electronic warfare and simulation.





3- Indra has taken significant achievements in some projects such as Turkey's air traffic surveillance network, Helsim project etc?. Could you please inform us the project that has been carried out by Indra in Turkey?

Obviously, the recently launched air traffic surveillance network project, involving the supply of 23 radars deployed over 11 locations throughout the country. has been our major achievement in Turkey. The helicopter simulation, using state-of-the-art technology, in which we are successfully collaborating with Havelsan, is an example of how do we foresee the coming future in Turkey as technology transfer and collaboration with local companies is our way to better develop in emerging markets. New platforms and new technologies and applications, always with the same aims, are under development and will strength the technological and industrial collaboration between our two countries.



4- Recently Indra is one of the candidates of CBRN Mobile laboratories project. How do you assess your position among your competitors in this project? What kind of technological competences will Indra provide within the scope of this project?

NATO countries pointed out the necessity of tools to tackle a potential CBRN-risk situation.

To supply this demand, our company with more than 15 years of experience in CBRN solutions, has created a laboratory that meets NATO standards specific to this kind of solutions.

One of the benefits of the solution is mobility, as it can be transferred from one place to another quickly, effectiveness and autonomy.

The solution allows the laboratory to treat and identify the sample within 6 hours regardless the nature of it (nuclear, radiological, biological or chemical).

Such a prompt response would allow implementing the necessary measures in the event of an attack or industrial accident.

Indra’s CBRN laboratories can be destined to the military sector or to the civil, since the systems are user-friendly.

We can provide a response and a solution in a single platform to deal with all four main types of threats or use a different and specific platform per each type of threat, that is, nuclear, radiological, biological or chemical.



We believe this type of projects did arouse interest in Turkey since a tender has been called to acquire a mobile CBRN laboratory.







5- In recent years Turkey has taken significant steps forward in the field of electronic defence solutions and simulation systems. What are your strategies and plans regarding joint production and R&D activities in Turkey to strengthen collaboration with the Turkish Authorities and Defence Industry?

As I said before an open technology transfer and a two ways collaboration with local companies, not only for the Turkish market, but also to export to third countries, will ensure both parties a profitable and sustainable business development for all of us.



6- Is it possible that there will be a role for the Turkish Defence Industry in your marketing strategies regarding regions neighboring Turkey?

This is only a part of the world, very important from a Turkish platform, but the Turkish defense industry is exporting now to very far countries as Korea. We do consider as well collaboration programs where Spain should be included as an export market for Turkish industry.



7- Do you want to add something and give a message to our readers?

Well, as Mediterranean, we speak the “same” language. We need to team and join our efforts to have a joint position in the European programs to compensate, in our interest, the overconfident pose of France, Germany or UK.

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