Istanbul: Turkish defense and aviation exports amounted to $10.05 billion in 2025, up 48% year-on-year, the head of Trkiye's Defense Industries Secretariat said on Saturday.
According to Anadolu Agency - English, Haluk Gorgun, speaking at a ceremony disclosing foreign trade figures in Istanbul, stated that 2026 was a year of record-breaking figures for Trkiye in terms of overall exports as well as in the defense industry. He highlighted the consistent record-breaking performance throughout 2025 compared to the previous year, noting a historic peak in December when defense and aviation exports exceeded $2.5 billion.
In 2025, the exports were divided into $9.87 billion in goods and $184 million in services. Gorgun emphasized the significant growth in new defense contracts, which increased by approximately 80% in 2025. The sector's exports were valued at $7.1 billion in 2024, and the outstanding orders from new contracts grew from $10 billion in 2024 to $17.8 billion in 2025, marking a 78% increase.
Gorgun pointed out the rising contribution of defense and aviation exports to Trkiye's overall exports. "In 2022, we exported $4.4 billion, and the share of defense and aviation exports in Trkiye's overall exports was 1.7%. Today, the share has reached 3.7%," he explained. He credited this achievement to companies producing high-quality and cost-effective products, along with providing after-sales support and assurance.
He also mentioned the country's successful new contracts and achievements shared with the public. Among these were a military ship export contract with Portugal, a contract with Spain for the HURJET training aircraft, and a fighter jet KAAN contract with Indonesia. Additionally, an Offshore Patrol Vessel contract was signed with Romania. Various UAV and ammunition contracts were secured in the Gulf and Africa regions, contributing to a new contract record of $17.8 billion for 2025.
Looking ahead, Gorgun expressed optimism for 2026, anticipating increased deliveries and the setting of new records. He noted that a significant portion of exports went to European countries and the US, with the EU, NATO countries, and the US accounting for approximately $5.6 billion, or 56%, of the exports. Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa followed as major export destinations.