The Turkish defence industry has signed its first export contract for the unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) Bayraktar Akinci.
Haluk Bayraktar, the chairman of the board of the Defence, Aviation and Space Clustering Association, SAHA Istanbul, and BAYKAR’s director-general told Anadolu Agency that export contracts were signed with 16 countries for Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs.
“We have also completed the first export contract of Bayraktar Akinci UCAV. Within the scope of the contract, we will deliver Bayraktar Akinci UCAVs and ground systems in 2023,” he said.
Bayraktar emphasised that thanks to the steps and efforts taken toward developing domestic unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and UCAVs, they are now both able to meet domestic and international needs.
Products developed by Turkiye’s defence industry, such as UAVs and UCAVs are exported to 169 countries, including NATO and European Union member states, he further added.
Defence industry success
Bayraktar said that Turkiye has started to see positive outcomes of its gradual nationalisation strategy, adding that the biggest success of the defence industry this year is the increase in exports achieved with that strategy.
The defence and aerospace industry broke a record by exceeding $3 billion for the first time in 2021 and made exports totalling $3.22 billion.
“The important point here is that the domestic added value in exports is increasing year by year,” he said.
“Just as a strong and independent defence industry is indispensable for Turkiye, it is also an important goal to strengthen defence and aviation exports in countries with which we have strategic relations.”
Bayraktar also stressed that the defence exports provide a basis for establishing strategic relations and development for all kinds of commercial and social activities with these countries.
The Turkish defence industry now constitutes around 1 percent of the world’s total defence and aerospace exports.
“This is a great success” he stated.
“Currently 75 percent of the total exports in this field are still carried out by the US, Russia, France, Germany and China.”
He said that the main goal of the industry in Turkiye is to increase its market share on the global scale and to be among the top 10 exporting countries.
Source: TRT World
