Defense exports reach $780 mln

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

The exports of Turkish defense industry increased to $780 million between January and July as the sector’s annual target is $1.5 billion. Daily News Photo

Turkey’s defense industry’s exports reached $780 million between January and July marking a 9 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, according to data of the Defense and Aerospace Industry Exporters’ Association (SSI).

SSI Chairman Latif Aral Aliş said the export volume, worth more than $780 million, in the first half showed a bigger hike than Turkey’s general export volume rise, in a press meeting on Aug. 23. Aliş stated that their exports rose from $600 million in 2008 to $1.2 billion last year. Their annual export target was to reach $1.5 billion, he added.

The defense industry exported mostly to the United States and the member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, he said. The most exported products are the parts for planes and helicopters, plane motors, armored land vehicles, ships and speed boats, missiles, rockets and launching platforms, light arms and its equipments, electronic systems, logistic support products and engineering and technology transfer services, he noted.

The sector aims to make exports of $4 billion production and $2 billion goods and services by 2016, he said, adding that their strategic main goal was to reach $25 billion export volume in the defense and aerospace industry sector.

The sector’s expenses for the research and development activities rose to $772 million. The sector reached local production rate at 54 percent in terms of the Turkish Armored Forces’ (TSK) needs.