Turkey's defense spending reaches $13.2 billion

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s defense exports stood at $1.4 billion in 2014, while its imports were $1.3 billion. AA Photo

Turkey’s defense spending stood at 29.4 billion Turkish Liras ($13.2 billion) this year, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz said on Nov. 2, in response to a parliamentary question from a deputy of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Turkey spent some 1.71 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense in 2014, a drop from the 3.5 percent of its GDP spent on defense in 2002, Yılmaz said in response to Özcan Yeniçeri's written question, adding that the 2014 defense budget accounted for 3.7 percent of the overall state budget.

Around half of the country’s defense budget goes on personnel spending, such as salaries, benefits and pension payments to retired Turkish Army personnel, he added.

Turkey’s military expenditure per capita in 2013 was 474 liras ($213), Yılmaz said. He also said Turkey’s defense exports stood at $1.4 billion in 2014, while its imports were $1.3 billion.

Turkey is currently negotiating a $3.5 billion deal for a long-range air and anti-missile defense system, including local production, with suppliers from China and Europe. Ankara plans to spend around $70 billion on military equipment by 2023.