Defense, aerospace exports post record before year-end

UNDERTAKING important export contracts throughout the year, the defense and aerospace industry has achieved the highest export figure before even seeing the full impact of these developments. The Turkish defense and aerospace industry reached its year-end export target before December, hitting $1.8 billion.

According to Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM) data, the defense and aerospace sector achieved $883.8 million in exports in 2011, $1.3 billion in 2012, $1.4 billion in 2013, $1.6 billion in 2014, $1.7 billion in 2015, $1.7 billion in 2016 and $1.7 billion last year. From January to November last year, the sector’s exports totaled $1.5 billion, boosting performance by 16.05 percent. Before the year-end, the defense and aerospace sector achieved $1.8 billion, the highest defense and aerospace industry export figure on a yearly basis before the end of the year.

Given the export performance of the industry, which has maintained a course over $200 million in recent years, the $2 billion threshold is expected to be exceeded by year-end. The United States took the lead in the country’s defense and aerospace exports in this period; exports to the U.S. amounted to $644 million.

The U.S. was followed by Germany with $211.7 million in exports, Oman with $150.5 million, the Netherlands with $72.4 million, India with $71.7 million, Qatar with $71 million, Britain with $50.7 million, Poland with $48.4 million, France with $44.5 million and Azerbaijan with $37.5 million.

The export figure increased in the top 10 countries - except India and Poland - compared to the previous year. The most noteworthy increases occurred in exports to Oman and Qatar. In the 11-month period the previous year, exports to Oman amounted to $13.4 million, while this figure stood at $150.5 million this year. Meanwhile, exports to Qatar experienced a significant surge as well, rising from $8.7 million to $71 million compared to the same period the previous year.

In the defense and aerospace industry, export contracts came one after another this year. Export figures are expected to rise due to returns from these contracts.

The economic size of contracts signed by Turkish defense and aerospace industry companies at the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition & Conference (DIMDEX 2018) in Qatar reached about $800 million. These agreements will meet the various needs of Qatari security forces on land, air and naval platforms.