Ismail Demir: I believe we will reach over 4 billion dollars in exports
Speaking here, İsmail Demir stated that they had signed bilateral defense industry cooperation agreements with some countries, saying, 'Recently, we signed agreements with Iraq, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing the total number of agreements to 82. We aim to establish this legal framework with almost every country in the world, including those we are still negotiating with. We hold Defense Industry Cooperation meetings at all levels with the countries we have agreements with, bringing our companies together with foreign procurement officials.' Demir noted that the countries they export the most to include the USA, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Germany, and Qatar, and mentioned a notable increase in exports to Africa: 'Recently, we delivered our first Atak helicopter to the Philippines. This export, made possible through the efforts of our Presidency and TUSAŞ, is one of the historical milestones for Turkish defense industry. Additionally, our unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), land vehicles, and naval vehicles are continuously expanding and strengthening our export market. As we begin to recover from the pandemic, we see the positive impact in our export numbers. From March 2021 to March 2022, our total exports amounted to 3.53 billion dollars. Looking at the composition of exports, we see a 50% increase in the aviation category, primarily driven by unmanned systems. We must specifically highlight the Bayraktar TB-2, which has become a global brand, and continue this success with our other aircraft. In Africa, we see an increase in exports of UAVs, armored vehicles, and other products like Hürkuş. We are also in close cooperation with many countries in Europe, and our activities in South America are increasing as well. By the end of this year, I believe that our Presidency, the SSI, foundations, private companies, and SMEs will work together to reach over 4 billion dollars in exports.