Turkey to sell self-propelled howitzers to Qatar.

Turkish T-155 Firtina self-propelled howitzers to be exported to Qatar could come with domestically-produced engines, according to military analysts after Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar revealed that Ankara is on the verge of signing a major arms export agreement with Doha.

T-155 Firtina self-propelled howitzer

“If the deal stipulates delivering the howitzers within three years, that could mean they can possibly come with ‘made in Turkey’ engines,” pointed one military analyst to Yeni Şafak daily.

As already reported by Army Recognition, a summit organized by Turkish defense giant Aselsan gave momentum to Turkey’s forward trajectory on the issue of “nationalizing” the country’s defense industry by bringing together 2,000 of Turkey’s leading industrialists under one roof.

The summit’s design and manufacturing activities focused on bringing together industrialists and manufacturers as work on moving Turkey towards self-sufficiency in its defense industry continues unabatedly. "We’re on the verge of signing agreements to sell MILGEM warships to Pakistan, Fırtına self-propelled howitzers to Qatar, and drones to Ukraine," said Akar during the Aselsan summit. Akar pointed that Turkey’s fast-growing defense industry is allowing it to sign major agreements with countries such as Qatar and Pakistan.

President Erdoğan had previously vowed that Turkey’s progress would continue in the defense industry which he said had more than halved its foreign dependence from 80 percent in 2002 to 35 percent at present. "Turkey’s military capacity and economic, political and diplomatic capabilities must be robust,” he said, adding that the deterrence of its defense sector had to be “particularly” high.

T-155 Firtina self-propelled howitzer displayed at IDEF 2015 (Picture source: Army Recognition)