What BİTES does

BİTES Savunma Havacılık ve Uzay Teknolojileri Yazılım Elektronik Tic. A.Ş. is a Turkish defense, aerospace, and space software technology company headquartered at ODTÜ Teknokent (METU Technopolis) in Çankaya, Ankara. The company was founded in 2005 with the HELSIM I Program-II contract and has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of ASELSAN — Turkey's largest defense electronics company — since 2020, following ASELSAN group membership from 2018. BİTES develops indigenous defense software solutions for Turkish armed forces, the SSB (Presidency of Defence Industries), and major defense contractors, with international export relationships established with Airbus D&S, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, and Middle Eastern customers.

The company's product portfolio is organized across four categories. Defense Systems include ATOK (wearable military tactical operations kit with AR, blue-force tracking, secure comms), TAZI (autonomous quadruped UGV with AI-driven balance and obstacle avoidance), Brightsight (electro-optic see-through armor with 360-degree AR situational awareness), the Video Management System (EO/thermal video processing with H.264/MJPEG codecs), the ALTAY Data Management System (NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture-based platform data integration), and the Augmented Reality Sand Box (NATO Vector Graphics 3D holographic tactical visualization). Training & Simulation covers embedded simulations, mission simulators, mixed reality training systems, troubleshooting/maintenance simulators, and digital assessment systems — with case studies spanning the ALTAY tank crew training, SARP and KMC remote-controlled weapon systems, ATAK helicopter XR maintenance, and MİLGEM 6-12 SGTES. Technology & Business Solutions includes the Digital Twin platform (real-time sensor-fed predictive models), and the Avionics & Mission Systems line addresses safety-critical avionics software, EO surveillance, seeker heads, UAV ground control stations, and platform cybersecurity. Technical foundations span AR/VR/MR, signal/image processing, AI, mission planning, command and control, and video management, with compliance certifications including ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 27001, and Turkey's KVKK data protection regime.

BİTES operates as a project-based professional services and product supplier with long sales cycles driven by government defense procurement. The company has 251–500 employees and is monetized primarily through custom software development, system integration, and platform-embedded software contracts with Turkish defense primes (ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, ROKETSAN, FNSS) and government end-customers, with no public pricing disclosed and no external venture capital. Recognitions include being named Turkey's 4th fastest-growing technology company (2023), Top 3 in the Defense Industry sector (2021), and recipient of the 'Yılın Yerli Savunma Sanayi Markası' (Defense Industry Brand of the Year) award in 2023. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; third-party indications (Top 10 by revenue in 2019 within the ASELSAN ecosystem, 251–500 headcount, Oct 2023 $4.9M capital injection from parent ASELSAN) place estimated annual revenue in the $25M–$50M band with medium confidence.

Name

BİTES

Legal name

BİTES Savunma Havacılık ve Uzay Teknolojileri Yazılım Elektronik Tic. A.Ş.

Website

https://bites.com.tr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

BİTES is a Turkish defense software firm and wholly-owned ASELSAN subsidiary that develops AR, AI, simulation, training, and safety-critical avionics software for the Turkish Armed Forces, SSB procurement, and defense primes such as ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, ROKETSAN, and FNSS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense Software & Simulation

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Military Armored Vehicle, Tank, and Tank Component Manufacturing (336992)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Defense R&D, Test, Evaluation & Innovation (BPAIAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autonomous Defense Systems (AI/ML, Swarming, MUM-T) (IMABAOAI), Military Avionics, Mission Computers & Flight Controls (IMABAMAE)

Keywords

• Defense software development
• Military simulation systems
• Avionics mission software
• Augmented reality defense
• Autonomous ground vehicles

Headquarters

HQ city

Çankaya

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Defense Software Development & Integration: BİTES generates revenue through custom software development projects for defense and aerospace applications, including training simulators, mission planning systems, command & control software, and avionics systems. Projects are delivered to major Turkish defense contractors and government entities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

BİTES develops indigenous defense software, simulation systems, augmented reality solutions, and avionics and mission systems for military and aerospace applications. Its portfolio spans defense systems (ATOK tactical kit, TAZI autonomous quadruped, Brightsight see-through armor, Video Management System, ALTAY data management, AR Sand Box), training and simulation systems (embedded simulations, mission simulators, mixed-reality training, maintenance simulation, digital assessment), the Digital Twin platform, and safety-critical avionics and mission systems. These offerings are delivered primarily as custom software development and integration projects to Turkish defense contractors (ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, ROKETSAN, FNSS) and the Turkish government via SSB procurement, with selected international exports.

Product overview

BİTES is a defense, aviation, and space software technology company and 100% subsidiary of ASELSAN. The company operates as a multi-product portfolio organized into four main categories: Defense Systems (ATOK tactical operations kit, TAZI quadruped robot, Brightsight see-through armor system, Video Management System, ALTAY Data Management System, Sanal Kum Sandığı AR tactical visualization), Training and Simulation Systems (embedded simulations, mission simulators, mixed reality training, troubleshooting/maintenance systems, digital assessment systems), Technology and Business Solutions (Digital Twin platform), and Avionics & Mission Systems. The products serve defense forces, law enforcement, and aerospace applications, with software expertise spanning AR/VR, AI, signal/image processing, simulation, mission planning, command control, and video management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ATOK (Askeri Taktik Operasyon Kiti)

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 3 ranking in Defense Industry sector in Turkey (2021)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ASELSANcoreOthersBİTES is a 100% subsidiary of ASELSAN, Turkey's largest defense electronics company. This ownership provides BİTES with preferential access to defense procurement programs, integration opportunities with ASELSAN's extensive portfolio of defense products, and strong financial backing. BİTES joined ASELSAN in 2018 and became 100% owned in 2019.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HAVELSAN: Turkish defense software and systems integrator focused on simulation, C4ISR, and mission-critical software for the Turkish Armed Forces. Most directly comparable to BİTES as a fellow indigenous defense software house serving ASELSAN, SSB, and Turkish primes.
• STM (Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik A.Ş.): Turkish defense engineering firm providing naval platforms, cyber, and tactical command-and-control software. Comparable indigenous Turkish defense tech company with similar SSB/government customer model and software-led portfolio.
• FNSS: Turkish armored combat vehicle manufacturer and a BİTES customer (STA Marksman Simulator). Comparable as a Turkish defense platform prime and buyer of BİTES's simulation software for crew and weapon system training.
• Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim): Specialized defense simulation software vendor (VBS) used by NATO militaries. Comparable to BİTES's mission and training simulator business in customer profile (defense training organizations) and product category.
• Presagis: Modeling, simulation, and digital twin software provider for aerospace and defense. Directly comparable to BİTES's Digital Twin platform and embedded simulation offerings, addressing similar customer needs around 3D visualization and mission rehearsal.

Broad incumbents

• ASELSAN: Turkey's largest defense electronics company and BİTES's 100% parent. Overlaps broadly with BİTES across avionics, command-and-control, and platform integration, but at a much larger scale and across the full hardware-plus-software defense stack.
• ROKETSAN: Turkish missile and rocket systems manufacturer and BİTES customer (KMC RWS Simulator). Adjacent rather than direct competitor, but shares the SSB procurement ecosystem and demand for simulation/training software around weapons platforms.
• CAE: Global leader in defense and civil aviation simulation/training. Comparable to BİTES's Training & Simulation Systems division (embedded sims, mission simulators, mixed reality training), but at vastly larger scale and broader international footprint.
• Leonardo: Global defense electronics and aerospace prime with significant avionics, simulation, and mission systems businesses. Overlaps with BİTES in avionics software and training systems but at much larger scale and across multiple geographies.
• Thales: Global defense, aerospace, and digital systems integrator with extensive avionics, mission systems, and simulation portfolios. Comparable in safety-critical avionics software, mission planning, and command-and-control, but as a global incumbent rather than niche specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bitessavunma
• Xx.com/BitesSavunma
• Facebookfacebook.com/bites.savunma

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BİTES