Half of arms exports go to Saudi Arabia

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

The Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKEK) exported arms and ammunition to 28 countries last year, with half going to Saudi Arabia. DAILY NEWS photo, Hasan ALTINIŞIK

The Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKEK) exported arms and ammunition worth 104.4 million Turkish Liras ($55.4 million) last year, with half of these exports going to Saudi Arabia.

MKEK, which manufactures arms, ammunition, rockets and explosive materials for the Turkish Armed Forces (THY), exported goods worth 104.432 liras to 28 countries in four continents in 2012, according to figures from the company.

Saudi Arabia bought arms and ammunition worth 52.6 million liras, which accounted for half of MKEK’s total exports, Bahrain became the country with the second-highest purchases of arms and ammunition form MKEK worth 9.7 million liras and Pakistan followed with 7.4 million liras. Argentina, Vietnam, the United States, Switzerland and Thailand were also among the countries that MKEK exported arms and ammunition to last year.

MKEK determined its 2013 export target as $75 million – as its exports were $55.4 million last year – based on its orders from 2011, its regular customers and requests received from talks during fairs.

However, the domestic orders to MKEK have also risen. MKEK has received 361.1 million liras from the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Turkish Police Department and the National Intelligence Agency. MKEK delivered 289.5 million liras worth of arms to these institutions last year, and will make a further delivery worth 71.6 million liras this year.