Turkey sets out highly ambitious defence industry target for 2023.

Turkey reveals the path to boost defence and aerospace exports by $ 10.2B in 2023," according to the Turkish government document "Strategic Plan for 2019-2023 years" Turkey plans to increase its defence and aerospace exports of up to $ 10.2 billion by 2023, with $ 2 billion achieved in 2018.

Erdogan Recep Tayyip (Picture source: Russian Ministry of Defense)

The 2019-2023 Strategic Plan, published by the Turkish Defense Industry Administration (SSB), also aims to increase Turkey's defence and aerospace industry annual revenue to $ 26.9 billion in 2023 from $ 6.7 billion in 2018.

Moreover, by 2023, Turkish national industry will meet 75 per cent of military needs, compared with 65 per cent in 2018, according to the plan.

To achieve these goals, the Turkish government plans to restructure its entire export promotion system. In addition, Turkey will probably launch an intergovernmental sales scheme, while SSB will open defence export promotion agencies in 20 countries.

Other important goals detailed in the document include the transition to a new procurement model; prioritization of programs that minimize dependence on foreign production systems; and supporting products that strengthen Turkey’s ability to compete in high-tech markets internationally.

Since coming to power in 2002, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dramatically increased the share of the national industry in defence purchases. The government’s insistent priority to refuse to purchase finished products abroad and instead go to national development and production has spawned many national defence programs, including unmanned aerial vehicles, warships, armoured vehicles, helicopters, training aircraft, a new generation main tank and an ambitious program to create an indigenous fighter.

But an Ankara-based defence analyst warned that some of the government’s targets do not look feasible.