Brain drain saps Turkey's defense industry
Turkey is holding a mammoth defense industry fair, looking to boost its exports and counter a saturated domestic market, but the sector is suffering from a serious lack of manpower.
Turkey has high hopes for its future in the defense field, but brain drain is depriving its industry of qualified human capital. Of all people working in the sector, only 24% are qualified engineers.
Turkey’s defense industry firms have geared up for a major show of force for foreign buyers at the International Defense Industry Fair taking place April 30 to May 3 in Istanbul. About 900 local and foreign companies are exhibiting their wares. Turkish firms are seeking to sign export deals and promote cooperation with foreign companies, as Turkey’s domestic market is about to reach saturation. Turkey's defense industry has been growing since 2014, pushing companies to focus on exports to sustain their growth. In addition to its traditional customers the United States and Germany, Turkey is looking for new clients in a slew of markets: Poland, Qatar, Oman, Ukraine, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Chad, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan.
