Turkey: Defense exports to Pakistan to hit $1 billion in coming years.

Turkish defense exports to Pakistan reached $400 million in 2018 with deals signed between the two countries for the sale of Turkey’s domestically-produced ATAK helicopters and MİLGEM warships.

T-129 Turkish-made attack helicopter at IDEF defense exhibition in Turkey, May 2017. (Picture source : Army Recognition )

Turkey’s defense exports to Pakistan are expected to hit $1 billion in the coming years as relationships between the countries reached a new milestone in 2018 with promising deals.

In July 2018, Turkey won a multibillion-dollar tender to provide four Turkish-made Ada class MILGEM corvettes to the Pakistan Navy. This deal is the biggest export for Turkey’s defense industry in history according to the then-Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli. Two ships will be built in Istanbul and two others in Karachi.

Back in June, Turkey and Pakistan also signed an agreement on the purchase for 30 of Turkey’s T129 Advanced Attack and Tactical Reconnaissance Helicopters.
Thus, the largest single export in the history of the Turkish defense industry had been inked.

"Contract negotiations on T129 ATAK helicopters between Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and the Pakistani Ministry of Defense Production were finalized," the under secretariat said.

The T129 ATAK helicopter was developed by the Turkish Aerospace Industries and the Italy-based AgustaWestland and was added to the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces in 2014.

Designed to operate in hot conditions, the T129 can be deployed in a wide range of operations including attack, reconnaissance and deterrent missions.