Turkish defence companies increase export deliveries

Turkish TUSAŞ aerospace company continues to demonstrate developments abroad.

In this vein, the company's new products are presented at the largest defence exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region LIMA Langkawi 2023 in Malaysia, Anadolu reports.

In an interview with Anadolu, TUSAŞ Head of Marketing and Communications Bertan Kurt said that since 2018, the company has been pursuing a strategy of stable growth.

According to him, thanks to the release of products to the market, the company received orders for $1 billion in 2022.

Over the past 5 years, the company has signed contracts with 13 countries totalling $3.3 billion, Kurt said.

Such developments of the company as ANKA attack drones were implemented in 6 countries, AKSUNGUR - in 2 countries, ATAK helicopters - in 3 countries, HÜRKUŞ aircraft - in 2 countries and ŞİMŞEK (high-speed targeting system) - in one country. A number of deliveries have already been handed over to customers.

So far, the company has delivered 4 ATAK helicopters to the Philippines, 3 ANKA UAVs to Kazakhstan, 2 AKSUNGUR drones to Kyrgyzstan, 3 HÜRKUŞ aircraft and 2 ANKA UAVs to Chad, 2 HÜRKUŞ aircraft to Niger and 5 ANKA UAVs to Tunisia.

Over the past three years, TUSAŞ has signed a new business development contract worth about $2.5 billion.

At the same time, the company continues its efforts aimed at increasing export deliveries. So, in the first three months of the year, the company signed a contract worth $300 million. TUSAŞ plans to achieve $2 billion in new sales through the mass production of ATAK helicopters, ANKA and AKSUNGUR drones, and HÜRKUŞ aircraft.

Among the goals for 2023 is entering the South American market.

The value of new contracts expected abroad in 2023 is estimated to be around $3 billion.

TUSAŞ's escorts have totalled $2.5 billion over the past five years. The company expects to increase sales to $1 billion this year.

Türkiye's defence industry has grown fast over the past two decades with the total turnover of the local defence and aviation industry increasing from $1.1 billion in 2002 to a record high of $10.9 billion in 2019 but easing to $8.9 billion in the following year.