2024-08-31 02:36:27
Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to make himself the new Caliph of Islamic countries. His dream is to bring back the days of the Ottoman Empire for Turkey. He has been in power for a long time by inciting such radical Islamic and nationalist sentiments in Turkey. However, during his tenure, not only has there been an attempt of a military coup, but Turkey has also had to face an economic crisis. The US has completed the remaining task by imposing sanctions. Despite this, Erdogan wants to make the country one of the top arms exporting countries with the help of his son-in-law’s company Baykar Defense. In such a situation, he is eyeing those Muslim countries which cannot pay the price of Western or Russian weapons.
Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia are buying drones
Pakistan is preparing its Murid Air Base for the delivery of Turkey’s Akinci drones. Indonesia and Malaysia are also eyeing this drone from Turkey. Despite being ostracized in NATO, Turkey has emerged as a major arms supplier for Islamic countries. Islamic countries are apparently making less defense purchases from other countries to buy Turkish weapons. Platforms used in ground combat are Turkey’s top defense export. This is followed by the sale of military aircraft, guns and ammunition. Similarly, Turkey has established itself as a major player in the international market for armed drones.
Maldives and Saudi Arabia also have an eye on Türkiye
In recent times, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Maldives and even Saudi Arabia have relied heavily on Turkey for their source of weapons. Turkey has made a place for itself in the defense export market. Bayraktar Akinci and Anka drones manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), Bayraktar TB2 drone manufactured by Baykar Technology are in great demand all over the world. Baykar Technology is the company of Erdogan’s son-in-law. In such a situation, the government also has special favor on this company. Baykar Technology is also taking full advantage of this.
Apart from drones, Türkiye is also selling missiles
Indonesia has shown interest in the Bayraktar TB2 drone after deciding to buy 45 indigenously developed Turkish Atmaca anti-ship guided missiles and 12 Anka drones from Turkey for its army, air force and navy. The 12 Anka drones are expected to be delivered by 2025. Indonesian officials have already visited Baykar Technology’s facilities and watched a flight demonstration of the unmanned combat aerial vehicle. The Indonesian Navy has shown interest in acquiring the Bayraktar Akinci and Anka UCAVs manufactured by TAI. Baykar and TAI are also set to cooperate with Indonesia’s Dirgantara Indonesia Aerospace firm. Turkey is developing the Atmaca missile to replace the US AGM-84 Harpoon.
Delivery received to Pakistan and Maldives
Pakistan, another Islamic country, also received about 6-7 Akinci A drones in April 2023 and has deployed them actively. In the second phase, it is expected to get Akinci B drones equipped with better engines. Neighboring island country Maldives has also received three Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones for its new Air Corps. These are tasked with monitoring the Maldives’ maritime area. The Bayraktar TB2 is now used by 33 countries and the global fleet achieved a total of 750,000 flight hours last December. Manufacturer Baykar announced a record $1.76 billion in exports in 2023.
Conflicts boost demand for Turkish drones
Before the war in Ukraine began, about 14 countries were operating TB2 drones. But the PR blitzkrieg that followed the Ukraine war showed that TB2 drones were destroying equipment such as surface-to-air missiles and assisting other aircraft and artillery targets in Moscow’s military. Ukraine has made propaganda videos of TB2 attacks on Russian forces, including a catchy song extolling the power of drones on the battlefield. This led to more customers for TB2. The drones promised to give the world’s smallest armies a lethal technology that was once controlled by Western countries.
Azerbaijan defeats Armenia with Turkish drone
Even US lawmakers have included Turkish drones in their list as a vital weapon for Ukraine. In Lithuania, a recent crowdfunding campaign raised $5.4 million in three and a half days to help Ukraine buy another TB2. Before Ukraine, Azerbaijan successfully deployed these drones against Armenia.
After Kuwait, Saudi is also buying drones
In 2023, Saudi Arabia agreed to purchase Turkish drones, the largest defense contract between the two countries. The Akinci drones will be used in Saudi Arabia’s air and naval forces. The latest order makes Saudi Arabia the third confirmed Gulf operator of Turkish Baykar drones after Qatar and Kuwait. At this point in time, the UAVs have shown that they are not only a military platform but also a major player in the Turkish defense market, with Baykar alone accounting for $1.7 billion (TL 54.6 billion) of Turkish exports in 2023.
Which weapons is Türkiye selling?
In addition to drones, Turkish missiles have found many customers. In November 2022, Turkish missile manufacturer Roketsan signed a contract with Indonesia to supply the Khan short-range ballistic missile, an export version of Turkey’s Bora-1 SRBM. This made Indonesia the first foreign operator of Turkey’s short-range ballistic missile. Turkey has been building its defense industry since the 1980s following an arms embargo by the US and NATO allies following Turkey’s intervention in Cyprus in 1974. The vision of a strong defense industry received impetus under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan is turning Turkey into an Ottoman Empire
During his speech at the launching ceremony of the Kinaliada corvette, the fourth ship of the Milgem (national ship) project, Erdogan said: ”Today, we have five companies among the world’s top 100 defense companies. This number, InshaAllah (God willing), will grow steadily. Our goal is to completely eliminate our foreign dependency in the defense industry by 2023.” It seems that Turkey is gradually moving towards achieving this goal. The strengths of Turkey’s defense industry are its NATO-standard compliant, state-of-the-art indigenous products, which are available at a cheaper price than normal market prices, as well as technology transfer and local production options.
Türkiye’s arms exports increase by 106 percent
In April 2023, Turkey launched the largest warship, TCG Anadolu, the world’s first ship to carry armed drones. The 2024 report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that Turkey’s arms exports have increased by 106 percent in the last four years, making it the 11th top exporter of weapons worldwide. According to the report, Turkey’s arms exports grew by 106 percent from 2014-2018 to 2019-2023, while its share in global arms exports stood at 1.6 percent in the same period.
Türkiye’s share in global arms exports
During the period 2014-18, Turkey’s share in global arms exports was 0.7 percent. The leading importer of arms from Turkey in the period 2019-23 was the United Arab Emirates, which accounted for 15 percent of Turkey’s arms exports, followed by Qatar with 13 percent and Pakistan with 11 percent. Turkey has been exporting a wide range of conventional weapons, including aircraft, armoured vehicles, ships and missiles. However, as SIPRI points out, Turkey is still dependent on Western technologies, especially motorisation, despite having succeeded in establishing itself as an emerging supplier in certain groups of arms.
Türkiye is also building fifth generation fighter aircraft
After being excluded from the F-35 development program, Turkey has embarked on the path of developing its own 5th generation fighter jet, which has already made its first flight. There have been reports that Azerbaijan and Pakistan are interested in joining the development program. There have been reports that Pakistan could become the second foreign partner to join the KAAN program in 2023, after Azerbaijan, which officially committed itself to the program in July. On its part, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has shown interest in the TAI TF-X several times; in 2019, the then chairman of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), Air Marshal Ahmar Shahzad, reportedly said, “Turkey’s T-FX is in line with the PAF’s desire.”