It is a fact that the Turkish Defense industry has developed rapidly in recent years, attempting to significantly wean its country from the purchase of weapon systems, means and ammunition directly from other countries.
Greece's interest in the development of the Turkish defense industry
In addition to the above, Turkish defense companies not only supply the Turkish Armed Forces with their products, thus increasing their combat power, but also export their products to other countries, gradually creating relations of dependence on Turkey, as the beginning of a wider manipulation plan of their foreign policy to the benefit of Ankara.
We understand that in Greece we are interested in the in-depth knowledge of the progress of the Turkish defense industry, the performance of weapon systems and ammunition in the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF), the sectors it has focused its interest from now on, but also the countries where Turkish defenses are exported products, for obvious reasons.
In addition, Erdogan's recent statements according to which, as a prerequisite for stability and avoiding tensions with our country in the Aegean, he will ask the Greek Prime Minister to reduce purchases of weapons systems from us from other countries, while Turkey not only produces approx. supplying 65% of its weapons systems to its Armed Forces but also exporting them, they constitute at least a mockery and should, in our opinion, receive the appropriate response from the new Greek government.
In our recent article entitled "Report on the Development of the Turkish Defense Industry in the Last 9 Years by the Late President Ismail Demir", we detailed the "projects" of the Turkish Defense Industry, its weapon systems - means and ammunition which were either delivered to Turkish Armed Forces, whether they are in their deployment plan for the specific time period.
Now we will see which Turkish defense companies are leading the way in exports, according to Turkish media:
Turkish defense industry companies lead the way in exports
In the Turkish defense and aerospace industry, the top companies in exports in 2022 have been announced.
Almost all the exports of the industry were made by these companies.
In 2022, the Turkish defense and aerospace industry sector made exports worth 4.4 billion dollars.
The companies that played an active role in achieving the highest exports in the history of the Turkish defense industry were:
1. BAYKAR
BAYKAR emerged as the industry export champion in 2022. Having exported $638.9 million in 2021, BAYKAR has managed to increase its industry exports to $1 billion 168 million in 2022.
Haluk Bayraktar, General Manager of BAYKAR, said: “Baykar's export rate reached 99.3% in contracts signed in 2022. Baykar, which is the largest exporter in the field of defense and aerospace, has a turnover of $1.4 billion in 2022.
2. TAI
Having exported products worth $359.4 million in 2021, TAI achieved industry exports worth $553.7 million in 2022, becoming one of the companies that increased its exports the most among all companies.
3. TEI
TEI, a subsidiary of TAI, made industry exports of $250.4 million in 2022. In 2021, the company had total exports of $207.7 million.
4. BMC
Airlines took the top 3 positions in the sector's exports, while BMC, which operates in the land vehicle sector, took the 4th position. While BMC made total exports of $117.8 million in 2021. In 2022 it made exports of $242.5 million.
5. PRATT&WHITNEY THY TEK.
The company, which operates in the civil aviation sector, exported only $99.1 million in 2021. After the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic subsided, the company made sectoral exports worth $238.4 million in 2022.
6. ASELSAN
ASELSAN came to the fore by significantly increasing its exports compared to the previous year. ASELSAN, which exported $69.9 million in 2021, will export $177.2 million in 2022. On the other hand, the company's domestic sales in 2022 are about 20 billion Turkish liras.
7. RAM EXTERNAL. TRADE. Inc.
Having exported $224.8 million in 2021, RAM Foreign Trade has exported $237.3 million in 2022.
8. ANADOLU SEA CONSTRUCTION
It made exports of $134.5 million in 2022.
9. NUROL MACHINE
Nurol Makina achieved industry exports of $99.1 million in 2022.
10. ALP AVIATION
Alp Aviation made exports of $99.6 million in 2022. In 2021, the company made total exports of $128.9 million.
11. ROKETSAN
Roketsan exported a total of 88.6 million dollars in 2022. .
12. SYS
SYS made $69.2 million worth of exports in 2022.
13. FNSS
FNSS exported a total of $51.3 million worth of products in 2022.
Finally, a Strategic Partnership Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Koluman Otomotiv Endüstri AŞ and Asisguard.
With the new cooperation implemented in the Turkish defense industry, the capabilities in military vehicles and electronic systems will rise to a higher level.
The movements of Greece
Unfortunately, mainly due to memoranda and austerity in recent years, Greece did not develop its domestic defense industry to a similar extent, as a result of which it procures weapon systems-means and ammunition in the vast majority from other allied countries.
However, it is beginning to show signs of recovery, while through its participation in EU armament programs through PESCO and NATO, it is attempting to acquire know-how and preferential terms for acquiring the weapons systems and means produced thereafter.
At the same time, attempts are being made to link the country's Universities and Polytechnics with the defense industry, something that is in the right direction, while it should be expanded with the creation of a similar body in the exploitation of the enormous scientific potential of the Hellenic diaspora for this purpose.
I conclude by pointing out that our country should take advantage of the excellent relations it has with the USA, requesting the creation of weapons systems production units of American giant companies in the field of Defense Industry, on its territory, which would have multiple benefits.
Finally, because the basic principle of the Administration is its unity, which we have seen in detail worked when the SSM was directly subordinated to the Turkish President, it is proposed to create a Ministry of Defense Industry in our country that is directly subordinated to the Prime Minister.
