US imports $531Million Worth Defense Goods from Turkey in 2020

The United States has imported $531.1 million worth defense goods from Turkey during the first nine months of 2020, official Turkish data has revealed.

The U.S. topped the list in defense and aviation imports from Turkey for the first nine months of the year with foreign sales to them totaling around $531.1 million. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) followed the U.S with $127.9 million, Germany with 123.7 million, Azerbaijan with $123.2 million and India with $114.9 million.

Azerbaijan imported some $77.1 million (TL 608.5 million) worth defense equipment from Turkey, in September marking the first month of a rise in defense exports since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Azerbaijan took the lead in defense and aviation sector exports from Turkey in September followed by Oman with $62.9 million, the United States with $62.7 million, India with $15.6 million and Germany with $14.5 million.

Turkey’s overall foreign defense sales were recorded as $16.1 billion in September, up 4.8% year-on-year and 28.5% when compared with August 2020, according to Turkey Exporters Assembly (TIM) data published by Anadolu Agency and other Turkish media.

Defense and aviation sector exports decreased 17% during the January-September 2020 period, totaling around $1.52 billion. The sector’s exports, which have recorded an 80% increase year-on-year in September, have jumped by 58.7% when compared with August. The September foreign sales of the sector were $281.5 million.

The highest exports in terms of quantity were also made to Azerbaijan in September. 

The sector has added three new destinations to its foreign buyers' list and exported to 113 destinations last month. It was 110 at the same time last year.