Turkey increased defense equipment export by 20 percent in January-March 2014 0704142.

Defence & Security Indsutry News - Turkey

Turkish defense industry exports increased by 20 percent in January-March period reaching US$322 million, according to a national association of exporters. Turkey's defense exports for the first quarter of this year are valued at US$322 million, a 20 percent increase on the same period last year, according to figures from the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM).

The U.S. was the largest purchaser of Turkish defense hardware, worth a total of US$136 million. Other major markets were Spain and the United Arab Emirates, spending around US$19.4 million each.

The top export items were aircraft, helicopter parts, engines, armored land vehicles, speed boats, missiles, rockets, launching platforms, light weapons and electronic systems including transmitters, simulators, sensors and software.

Defence industry products make up only 1 percent of total exports, which are valued at US$38.6 billion in the first quarter of 2014.

According to data by the Turkish Defence & Aerospace Industry Exporters' Association (SSI), Turkey's exports in the defense and aviation industries combined reached $1.39 billion in 2013.