ANKARA

Türkiye’s defense industry is diversifying its export offerings with new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), even as it expands its international reach.

BMS Defence secured third place in a domestic UAV export competition last year, following prominent defense companies Baykar and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

One of the firm’s key contributors to export success is the Aybars-2 a fixed-wing, gasoline-powered UAV capable of staying airborne for seven to eight hours with a range of 100 kilometers (62 miles).

BMS Defence has also developed the Orhun and Goktug electric UAVs, which operate for up to three hours within a 50-kilometer radius.

A highly effective assault drone, the Boran-2 can carry up to four 81-millimeter (3.19-inch) mortar rounds and release them up to 8 kilometers away.

Expanding global reach

Cihan Cilingir, deputy general manager of BMS Defence, explained that the company is capitalizing on growing global interest in UAVs to boost exports.

"We made deliveries to a total of four countries, two of which were in Africa and the rest in Asia, last year," he said.

"We signed a kamikaze drone sales contract with a country in the Asia-Pacific region and expanded our global market share by exporting to 10 countries in total," he added.

Cilingir highlighted that BMS Defence has improved its UAV software, developing it in-house and increasing the share of domestically manufactured components to more than 60%.

He noted that the firm generates 80% of its revenue from exports.

"We make a difference in the sector by offering customer-specific and customizable solutions and we increase our market diversity with these specific products to suit the needs of our customers individually," Cilingir added.

Plans for new factory and additional deals

Bilal Isik, chairman of BMS Defence, stated that the company will focus on increasing exports in 2025, aiming to expand its customer base to 15 countries this year.

"We're currently in talks with two different African countries for new exports and we're also making efforts to boost our production capacity, as we're planning to move to our new factory in the second quarter, combining our headquarters and production facilities under one roof," he said.