Turkey Is Boosting Weapons Exports With A Focus On Africa, Here’s Who Benefits

NATO-member Turkey has long been a purchaser of Western weapons, but the country raised eyebrows last year when it announced a $4 billion deal with a Chinese firm to co-develop a missile defense system, rejecting offers from Russian, U.S. and European defense companies.

And while Turkey is still a major purchaser of Western military hardware, and has to Russia’s chagrin welcomed NATO missile defense systems in its territory, it’s rising in the ranks as a major arms exporter in its own right.

The country is trying to boost exports by $1.6 billion this year by focusing on markets that can’t afford the premium-grade offers from the world’s top defense companies.

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