Western defence contractors still have something of a stronghold when it comes to export of arms to the Middle East, but Turkey is making consistent inroads into a market where countries are known to have loose purse strings when it comes to acquiring weapons.
Half of the country’s arms sales last year went to three countries in the region – Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman. The recent rapprochement between Turkey and the Gulf states is expected to have a massive positive impact on Turkish arms sales in this decade and beyond.
In January this year, the Kuwait Defense Ministry and Turkish firm Baykar Makina signed a US$370 million for 18 Bayraktar TB2 drones. What is noteworthy is that the Turkish firm beat competition from military drone makers in the U.S., Europe and China to bag the contract.
Bayraktar TB2 drones have been in great demand in the region since 2018 when Qatar’s armed forces signed an agreement with Baykar for six TB2s, three ground control station systems and equipment, and a training simulator. In 2021, Oman and Turkey announced a preliminary understanding for Muscat’s procurement of Bayraktar TB2 drones. No numbers were disclosed.
In September last year, Turkey and the UAE signed a massive deal, worth US$2 billion, for 120 TB2s, with reports indicating that some of the drone’s components were likely to be produced in a Baykar plant in the Emirates. Deliveries have already commenced, with UAE acquiring 20 drones last year.
The growing reputation of Turkey’s defence industry has caught Saudi Arabia’s attention as well. Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) has expressed an interest in Turkish drones and is reportedly in discussions with Baykar for TB2 drones. In January, SAMI representatives met with Turkish defence company BMC to discuss cooperation on advanced defense technologies and land defense systems.
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