ANKARA — Turkey and Saudi Arabia have signed five deals to boost cooperation in economic, defense and energy during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to the Gulf powerhouse, Turkish officials announced Tuesday.
The Turkish presidency's communications directorate said one of the deals was signed between the Turkey's leading drone Manufacturer Baykar's CEO Haluk Bayraktar and Deputy Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud without elaborating further, but the latter said the deal involves two acquisition contracts and that it aims to enhance the readiness of the kingdom's armed forces and bolstering its defense and manufacturing capabilities.
Suudi Arabistan Savunma Bakanlığı (@modgovksa) ile Bayraktar #AKINCI TİHA ihracatı ve iş birliği sözleşmesi imzaladık.
— Haluk Bayraktar (@haluk) July 18, 2023
Türkiye Cumhuriyeti tarihinin en büyük savunma ve havacılık ihracatı sözleşmesi hayırlı ve uğurlu olsun. 🇹🇷🇸🇦#MilliTeknolojiHamlesi 🌍🇹🇷 https://t.co/Y3JwhZV826 pic.twitter.com/iCfehdIHs6
CEO Haluk Bayraktar described the deal as “the biggest defense and aviation export contract” in Turkey’s history, in a Twitter post. He added that the deal includes the exportation of the Akinci TIHA, a high-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle.