Speaking at the event, İsmail Demir stated that bilateral Defense Industry Cooperation agreements have been signed with several countries, adding:
"With our recent agreements signed with Iraq, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the total number of these agreements has reached 82 as of today. Together with the countries currently under negotiation, our goal is to establish this legal framework with nearly the entire world. By holding Defense Industry Cooperation meetings at all levels with these partner nations, we bring our defense companies together with foreign procurement officials."
Surging Exports in Aerospace and African Markets
Noting that the United States, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Qatar lead the list of top export destinations, Demir highlighted a significant surge in exports to Africa, stating:
"We recently delivered our first ATAK helicopter to the Philippines. Spearheaded by our Presidency and through the dedicated efforts of TUSAŞ, this export marks a historical milestone for the Turkish defense industry. Furthermore, our unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), land vehicles, and naval platforms, which continue to be exported to numerous countries, expand and fortify our market presence every day.
Our export figures clearly demonstrate that we are moving past the impacts of the pandemic. Between March 2021 and March 2022, our annual export volume reached $3.53 billion. Looking at the composition of these exports, the aerospace category recorded a 50% increase, driven largely by unmanned systems. Here, special recognition must be given to the Bayraktar TB2, which has become a global brand, and we aim to sustain this momentum with our other aircraft.
In Africa, we are seeing rising demand for UAVs, armored land vehicles, and training aircraft like the HÜRKUŞ. We are also collaborating closely with numerous European nations while steadily expanding our activities across South America. By the end of this year, working hand in hand with our Presidency, the Defense and Aerospace Industry Exporters' Association (SSI), foundation companies, private enterprises, and SMEs, I firmly believe we will surpass the $4 billion export threshold."
Source: Milliyet
