Exports by the defense and aviation sector, which Turkey wants to transform into a major income generator, reached $1.6 billion in 2014, increasing by 18.7 percent compared to the previous year. In December alone exports reached $175 million as the sector increased its sales by 7 percent when compared to December 2013. Exporting to over 150 countries and free trade zones, the largest amount of sales in the sector were made to the U.S. ($547 million), accounting for 33 percent of the whole exports. Malaysia was the country with the second highest export amount, equaling $120 million, followed by the United Arab Emirates, which purchased $106 million-worth of goods from the Turkish defense and aviation sector. According to data collected from the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TİM), the Turkish defense and aviation sector's exports have continued to rise rapidly with the indigenization rate in the sector increasing substantially in the last 12 years.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu announced five defense projects on Wednesday following a Defense Industry Executive Committee meeting in Ankara. He said that Turkey would order four more fifth generation stealth F-35s, which will be the new front line fighters of the Turkish Air Force. Davutoğlu also said the committee made the decision at the meeting to continue talks on Turkey's planned long-range missile system project with all tenders. Work is to start on the preliminary design stage for Turkey's next generation air-to-air combat fighter, which is called the TFX, a fifth-generation jet fighter. Davutoğlu said that the government has decided to start mass production of the modern infantry rifle MPT-76 for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). "We are planning to produce 35,000 rifles in the first stage. We assessed the necessary requirements for this and we decided on serial production." The 7.62 mm chambered rifle is intended to become the new standard infantry weapon for the TSK. Davutoğlu also said that Turkey will buy five additional Boeing CH-47F Chinook twin-engine, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopters.