Turkish Weapon Export Sees 29% Growth in 2024

turkey - The Turkish weapon export in 2024 grew by 29% reaching 7154 billion dollars, exceeding the target of 6.5 billion dollars, with global interest in Turkish defense industry.

The chairman of the Turkish Defense Industry Authority SSB, Haluk Görgün, has declared the significant increase in global interest in the Turkish defense industry.

This surge in export is to 180 different countries, with an annual growth exceeding a billion dollars compared to the previous year. The weapon export had increased by 27% in 2023.

SSB aims to continue on the rising trajectory, aiming for a constant increase in high-value product exports in the following years, as stated by Görgün.

Recently, the Turkish defense manufacturer STM signed its first military ship export agreement with a country that is both an EU and NATO member, Portugal, marking a historic milestone for Turkey.

Görgün highlighted the importance of strong defense cooperation with NATO allies, expressing hope for deeper collaboration with Portugal and becoming a major defense supplier for other EU and NATO states.

Turkey mainly supplies arms to Islamic nations like Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia, and Malaysia, reducing imports from the US in some cases.

However, Turkey imposed a ban on arms sales to India in July, a significant arms importer, not to offend Pakistan, showcasing Turkey's ambition for a self-reliant defense industry for geopolitical reasons.

Turkish Aerospace Industries TAI has developed a fifth-generation fighter jet, Kaan, which underwent its first test flights in 2024.