Written By: Draga Ivić
Let's look at Turkey's position on the world arms market today and how it has reached a respectable producer and partner, thus allowing itself relative autonomy on a very complex geopolitical scene.
In addition to many branches of commercial civil industry (textile, electronics, furniture, construction, etc.), the Turks have invested a lot in the development of their military-industrial complex in the last decades. State and private companies work together to create products that will meet both their own needs and the demanding world market. The trend is such that, according to economists, Turkey will soon find itself in the top ten arms exporters in the world.
This climb began in the mid-eighties, more precisely in 2003. years. At that time, Turkey provided about 80% of the needs of the armed forces with imports.
Now, only twenty years later, it meets those needs with 80% of its own production! According to the Stockholm Institute for Peace Research (SIPRI-Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) this breakthrough of Turkey is constant, with a predictable rise. Already past, 2023. she was eleven years old in the world.
Куп 609 million worth of goods were delivered to customers, accounting for 2.1% of total world sales. The biggest jump was made possible by the sale of drones that have proven themselves on the battlefield as early as 2020. years, and earlier.
Photo: Piri reis Turkey's newest submarine
”SIPRI"it also tracks five-year export results. This is a good sign for Turkey. From 2014-2018. in 2015, Turkey accounted for only 0.7% of the world's goods. Already in the next period (2019-2023), this presence more than doubled and amounted to 1.6%. Such growth can be considered stable. It is secured by attracting new customers.
The year 2010. The Turks exported to only five countries, mostly traditional buyers. Already in 2020. that number climbed to thirteen in 2023. in 2015, the company exported 25 countries. The list is updated every year to customers who have not previously done business with Turkey. There are also those who have received the ordered funds and have not yet ordered new ones.
Military-industrial complex
Today, there are several dozen companies operating in Turkey that have partially or fully mastered the main areas of activity, development and production of weapons and related equipment. Independently or in cooperation, Turkish industry produces firearms, artillery, armor, drones, ships, etc.
The most important component and driver of this complex is the ”Armed Forces Fund” (”Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerini Güçlendirme Vakfı'nın” or TSKGV), which corresponds personally to the president of the state. The fund controls the work of large and medium-sized companies from various fields, related to the military-industrial complex. It also coordinates the work of these companies, and mediates in the mutual communication of the economy and the military leadership. The most prominent companies managed by TSKGV are ”Aselsan”,” Havelsan”,” Roketsan ”and” Turkish Aerospace Industries-TAI”.
Photo: UMTAS light rocket, TB2 compatible
The first two are engaged in the development and production of various electronic systems for general and special purposes; Roketsan produces various missile weapons, and TAI makes and services aircraft, trying to develop independent projects.
As a separate sector of the military-industrial complex are treated companies that were founded in the 1990s with the participation of foreign companies and their capital. These are the already mentioned ”TAI”, multi-purpose” Nurol Defense Industry”, manufacturer of armor technology” Otokar " (which also produces for the civil market buses, trucks, trailers), etc.
In the last decade, a number of new organizations formed by big capital have been involved in this business, closely associated with the president of Turkey and his administration. The most famous are certainly the manufacturer BPL "Baykar”, the factory” TÜMOSAN – TÜrk MOtor SANayi", etc. New companies want to get involved in the race and compete with older companies, all of which contribute to the quality of the weapons complex.
Turkish industry without major restrictions regularly receives orders from internal and external customers, which is why it does great business. Independent companies by volume of exports can compete equally on the international arms market with other companies of the military-industrial complex around the world. In December 2023. SIRPI published a rating of the 100 largest suppliers in the military industry, where four Turkish companies were also found. The best placed is "Aselsan" (askerî Elektronik Sanayi A. Ş. in Ankara, which is at 60. place.
PHOTO: Turkish-Hungarian 4×4 Gidran
She even managed to overtake the famous German giant ”ThyssenKrup”. From a hundred to 76. the place moved ”Baykar", to 83. "TAI, ”and” Roketsan," which had been off the list a year earlier, was pushed into the hundred leaders.
What do the Turks export?
There is a very wide supply of funds that Turkey places on the world arms market – from the most well-known, to the standard ones that are little noticeable but affect the general indicators. Certainly the most famous export product became BPL companies ”Baykar".
In addition to the active advertising campaign, when the first BPL ”Bayraktar” appeared on the market, the biggest advertising brought them the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh, when they significantly affected the morale of the defeated and the outcome of the conflict. "TB2" is one of Turkey's export hits. It has been ordered by 16 countries and new orders are expected. So far, no less than 500 BPL of this type have gone over the border, and part of them have arrived in the territory of the so-called state ”Kosovo”.
Photo by Bayraktar TB2
Turkey also has great ambitions in the armored vehicles market. Since the beginning of the last decade, it has exported over 600 armored cars ”Kipri”, and orders do not stop and production line works. An ambitious project of a light tank ”Kaplan MT/Harimau” was also entered, which is made on the Order of the Republic of Indonesia.
18 tanks have been built. Other countries also showed interest in the category of Tanks, which was thought to have disappeared from the war scene. The Turkish military industry has set itself a very ambitious task, so it is completing work on the prospective Main Battle Tank (MBT) ”Altay”.
The Turkish army initially ordered a large quantity of these tanks, and it was joined by the Qatari army with a contract for the purchase of 100 tanks. It is not excluded the possibility of new customers who would like to choose something that has not been offered so far.
As a country with a large coastline, numerous ports and a significant fleet, Shipbuilding in Turkey has traditionally been well developed and positioned, so it is now only strengthening its positions. Several projects of combat ships of the ”Milgem” family, classified as corvettes, stand for foreign contracting authorities.
Photo By Tank Altay
Pakistan has ordered four MILGEM-class corvettes and four MILGEM Babur Corvettes. The main ships are already in the fleet, and the rest are in various stages of construction. Two more ”Ada " corvettes are being built for Ukraine. The first is already underway for sea trials, and the second is still at the dock. An order is expected for two or three more ships.
How about leadership positions?
In this way, with smart planning, almost from the second and Third Plan, Turkey independently, or with the help of selected partners of friendly countries, laid on solid foundations its military-industrial complex, established development and production, and then went to the foreign market.
It has managed to achieve good results in exports and is slowly approaching the ten largest sellers of weapons in the world. It can very easily happen to enter the Ten leading in the world market. It is difficult to predict further, but one thing is certain: the Turks will not give up on the generally set policy and will undoubtedly adjust all other factors (foreign and domestic policy) to fill their coffers in this way as well.
PHOTO: Turkish transporter Otokar-cobra
This is evidenced by numerous headlines on our portal, and this is only part of the overall Turkish efforts to strengthen its positions in its own way (”Romania will buy over 1,000 COBRA II 4×4 armored vehicles from Turkey for milijardu 1 billion (oruzjeonline.com)”, ‘‘The Kosovo army reportedly relies on public donations, while the received Fund is not public (oruzjeonline.com)”, ”Turkey provides its main ally with the new Su-25 " Lachin – - Turkey's upgraded version of the Russian Su-25 assault rifle (oruzjeonline.com)", etc).
Whether someone likes it or not, Turkey has shown how a deliberate, long-term policy with the help of the state can make progress in some area. Remember, in the text. ”The rise of the Ottoman Empire: once a conqueror (oruzjeonline.com)” we have dealt with, in the shortest, New History of Turkey.
13. October 2024.
