Bursa's Defence Industry Surpasses $20 Billion in Exports with Over 80% Local Content

Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün addressed the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry in June, highlighting the rapid growth of Turkey’s defence and aerospace sector. He noted that local content in defence products now exceeds 80%, with the country’s annual defence and aviation export value rising from $250 million in 2002 to roughly $11 billion in the latest 12‑month period. Bursa alone contributed $20 billion in exports to more than 200 countries and customs zones, driven by 7,500 firms.

The city hosts the Bursa Space, Aviation and Defence Cluster (BASDEC), now 160 members strong, and supports a ecosystem of 4,500 defence companies, over 1,400 projects and more than 100,000 direct jobs. Major firms such as TUSAŞ, ASELSAN and ROKETSAN have increased their orders from Bursa suppliers by about 50% annually, with TUSAŞ contracts exceeding $35 million in the first half of the year and ASELSAN purchasing $135 million of high‑tech components from 215 Bursa‑based firms. Görgün also emphasized the synergy between Bursa’s automotive manufacturing expertise and defence‑sector needs, positioning the region as a strategic hub for high‑value, precision production.