Turkey’s defense and aerospace industry carried its strong performance from 2015 into the new year, outperforming many other sectors despite overall volatility in national export figures. Demonstrating resilience and consistent growth, the sector reinforced its strategic importance through rising foreign sales driven by high-technology, value-added products.

According to data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), the sector achieved 118.6 million dollars in exports in January 2016, followed by 137.2 million dollars in February. This brought total exports for the first two months of the year to 255.9 million dollars. When compared to the 196.4 million dollars recorded during the same period in 2015, the sector showed a remarkable growth rate of 30.3 percent.

Throughout this period, Turkey exported defense and aerospace products to 108 countries, highlighting the increasing global reach of Turkish manufacturers. The United States emerged as the largest export destination, receiving 87.3 million dollars’ worth of defense and aerospace systems. This reflects both the scale of bilateral cooperation and the growing trust in Turkey’s defense capabilities.

The steady rise in export figures is not only a numerical success but also a strategic milestone for Turkey’s technological advancement. As domestic defense companies continue to expand their presence in international markets, products such as air platforms, subsystems, electronics and engineering solutions are helping elevate Turkey’s profile as a reliable and competitive supplier. The promising start to 2016 indicates potential for further agreements, larger orders and expansion into new markets throughout the remainder of the year.