Turkey’s defense exports to Pakistan are expected to hit $1 billion in the coming years as bilateral ties between the two allied countries reached a new milestone in 2018.
Defense exports to Pakistan reached $400 million in 2018 with deals inked between the two countries for the sale of Turkey’s domestically-produced ATAK helicopters and MİLGEM warships.
In July this year, Ankara won a multibillion-dollar tender to supply four corvettes to the Pakistan Navy -- a deal dubbed as the biggest export for Turkey’s defense industry in history by then-Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli.
In May 2017, Turkish and Pakistani defense companies struck another deal for construction of four Turkish Ada class MILGEM (National Ship) corvettes.
According to the agreement, two ships will be built in Istanbul and two others in Karachi.
Back in June, Turkey and Pakistan signed an agreement on the purchase for 30 of Turkey’s T129 Advanced Attack and Tactical Reconnaissance Helicopters.
Thus, the largest single export in the history of the Turkish defense industry had been inked.
"Contract negotiations on T129 ATAK helicopters between Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and the Pakistani Ministry of Defense Production were finalized," the under secretariat said in a statement.
The T129 ATAK helicopter was developed by the Turkish Aerospace Industries and the Italy-based AgustaWestland and was added to the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces in 2014.
Designed to operate in hot conditions, the T129 can be deployed in a wide range of operations including attack, reconnaissance and deterrent missions.
