6 Billion Dollars Export Target in Turkey’s Rising Star Defense Industry

Head of Defense Industry Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir made statements about the 2022 defense industry data and 2023 targets at Teknopark Istanbul, where he met with journalists.

Demir used the following statements: “As the industry, we focus on current projects and future warfare technologies while following the developments in the operational fields. Today, there are nearly 2 companies in our industry. This is an ecosystem that makes the biggest contribution to our country in terms of economy and added value. We have more than 750 projects carried out in this context.

As a result of these and other related activities, we have reached an annual sector turnover of well over 10 billion dollars and we have closed this year with an export of 2022 billion 4 million dollars in 400. Record export amount reached; Our defense industry exports broke a record with 4 billion 400 million dollars.”

6 billion dollars target in exports

Making statements about the targets for 2023, Demir said, “We have achieved and exceeded our 2022 figures to the extent we expected. Depending on the natural situation for 2023 exports, we have easily set our eyes on 6 billion dollars. There may be a number above it. We’ll look at the trend. Maybe after the first quarter, we can become a little clearer. Because the signatures become clear accordingly. At the moment, a target of 6 billion dollars seems very comfortable to us. It could be much higher.” used the phrases.

Invitation to sister countries for National Combat Aircraft

Making statements about partnerships that can be realized with other countries in defense industry projects, Demir stated that invitations were received to sister countries in the National Combat Aircraft project. Demir used the following statements:

“The projects we are talking about are very ambitious projects. We say this from time to time. Our door is also open for friendly and brotherly countries to participate in projects at various levels as partners. This will be much more beneficial both for those countries and for the projects to be returned with a more comfortable financing. This issue is on the agenda, and when we bring it to the agenda, we see that there are various reviews and requests from the relevant countries. We said that our large-scale projects are like national combat aircraft.

We have an invitation to these friendly and brotherly countries there. That’s what we told Pakistan. In other words, four or five countries that come to mind; You can count Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Qatar. If they have a request, we have opened this issue to them at various levels. We think that this partnership will be beneficial for each party, for both parties, for three parties, for five parties, as many parties as possible. They already have an opinion in this direction. For example, as you know, Indonesia was a partner in Korea’s KF-X fighter development project. This is an example. Our partnership expansion in our major projects will continue. We think it will be helpful.”

2023 targets in the defense industry

Explaining the defense industry targets for 2023, Demir said: “We will take our National Combat Aircraft out of the hangar and show it to the whole world. Jet Training and Light Attack Aircraft HÜRJET will make its first flight. Various flight maneuver tests and ammunition integrations of our combat unmanned fighter aircraft ‘Bayraktar KIZILELMA’ will be carried out. ‘Bayraktar TB3 SİHA’, which we will deploy to the ANADOLU ship, will make its first flight. As part of our ‘Free Project’, we will deliver the first F-16s whose avionics modernization will be completed.

Our F-16s will perform their duties by integrating the domestic-national electronic warfare pod and electronic support pod. The AESA nose radar, which we will integrate into AKINCI for the first time in the coming days, will later be used in our F-16s. We will make the first deliveries of our original helicopter GÖKBEY to the Gendarmerie General Command.

The ‘İmece’ earth observation satellite will be launched into space. ‘ANATOLIAN’, which will be the world’s first SİHA ship, and only the ceremony program that will take place in the upcoming period, will be put into service later. The sea supply combat support ship ‘DERYA’, the first of our İ-class frigates ‘İSTANBUL’, and the first of our new type submarines ‘PİRİ REİS’ will be put into service.

We will make the first delivery of armored amphibious assault vehicle ‘ZAHA’ and domestically-engined ‘Vuran’ armored vehicles. We will put our long-range air defense and missile system ‘SIPER’ into service. We will make the first deliveries of our ‘BOZDOĞAN’ in-sight and ‘GÖKDOĞAN’ beyond-sight missiles. We will start to integrate the ‘GÖKDENİZ’ close air defense system to our ships. We will take inventory of new electronic warfare systems such as the early warning radar system ‘Eralp’ and the portable electronic attack system ‘Mert’.” used the phrases.

Source: defenceturk