Turkey's defense and aerospace exports recorded a surge of 37.7% in the period of January to September compared to the same period last year and hit $1.9 billion – the highest level in the country's history. Defense exports totaled $1.3 billion in the same period last year.
The data of the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TİM) revealed that defense and aerospace industry has recorded the highest rise in exports among other sectors in the first three quarters of the year. Overall Turkish exports rose by 2.6% in this period.
The significant rise in the defense exports were followed by the cement, glass and ceramics exports with 18.9% and the abroad sales of chemicals with 17.6%. The in hazelnut exports increased by 11.3%.
In the first nine months of the year, defense and aerospace exports to the U.S. rose by 17.1% and totaled $595.2 million. Germany came second with a total defense exports of $184.7 million and defense sales to Europe's largest economy rose by 9.7%. The sector's exports to Oman recorded a rise of 35.8% and reached $184.7 million.
Another drastic rise was seen in the defense sales to Qatar with 336.6%, while exports to the country totaled $138.7 million. The highest surge, however, was recorded in the exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The defense sales to the country hit $96.4 million, rising by 763.8%.
Home to a number of leading Turkish defense giants, Ankara recorded the highest defense exports in the January-September period. The defense exports from the Turkish capital accounted for 44.4% of the total overseas sales of the sector with $825.3 million and increased by 26.6%.
The defense exports of Istanbul and Eskişehir reached $490.9 million and 341.2 million, respectively. Traditionally described as Turkey's hottest resort destination, Antalya ranked fourth in Turkey's defense exports in the first nine months of the year with $43.3 million.
