Success in warzone increases demand for Turkish defense products

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - The success of Turkish defense products in warzone is increasing their demand, head of the country's missile producer Roketsan said on Saturday.

Speaking at TEKNOFEST, Türkiye's premier aerospace and technology festival, Murat Ikinci said Turkish defense exports are currently around $4 billion annually, but the sector is making efforts to raise the figure to up to $20 billion rapidly.

There is a strong demand for Turkish defense products, he told Anadolu, adding that around 35% of Roketsan's income comes from exports and the firm aims to raise the figure to over 50%.

That income, he said, is used for research and development activities.

He said Roketsan is participating in TEKNOFEST to increase young people's interest in technology, adding: "One of the things we try to highlight here is aviation and space studies ... we have a duty to move Türkiye to space independently."

One of the two people selected to be space travelers from Türkiye is Tuva Cihangir Atasever, a system engineer at Roketsan, he recalled.

Five-day TEKNOFEST began on Thursday at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport and is continuing in full swing. Thousands of visitors are pouring in for a glimpse at latest offerings from tech giants and defense companies from Türkiye and around the world. It also features events including concerts, workshops and airshows.