Turkey has rapidly risen among global arms exporters, increasing its military sales from $2 billion to $7 billion within five years.
The editorial board, citing The Economist, reports that among the main reasons for this increase are Baykar's Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, already sold to over 30 countries, the $3 billion “Akıncı” contract signed with Saudi Arabia, and joint projects carried out with Leonardo.
Recent contracts include the sale of 1059 “Cobra II” armored vehicles worth nearly $1 billion to Romania, a $1.6 billion “Hürjet” combat aircraft agreement with Spain, and the export of naval platforms to Portugal.
Turkey currently ranks 11th among global arms exporters and aims to enter the top five in the coming years. To achieve this goal, the country relies on a broad product portfolio, from “Altay” tanks to “MİLGEM” warships, as well as the fifth-generation “Kaan” fighter jet. The “Kaan” aircraft, in particular, is presented as a cheaper alternative to the F-35 and has already attracted interest from countries such as Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.
Sevinj Karimova