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Ulviyya Poladova

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that Türkiye has exported a military vessel to a country that is both a member of NATO and the European Union for the first time in its history, AzerNEWS reports, citing Anadolu.

Speaking at a ceremony in Istanbul marking the transfer of the Cam Roman patrol ship to the Romanian Navy, Erdoğan said the achievement was made possible through a defense contract signed with Romania.

"Thanks to the agreement with Romania, Türkiye has exported a military ship to a NATO and EU member state for the first time in its history," Erdoğan stated.

The Turkish president also highlighted the rapid growth of the country’s defense exports. He noted that while Türkiye’s annual defense exports amounted to $248 million 23 years ago, the country now generates the same volume of exports in just one week.

Erdoğan said Türkiye has built more than 140 naval platforms for different regions around the world and is currently among the countries constructing the largest number of military vessels simultaneously.

Türkiye is currently among a small group of countries capable of independently designing, building, and maintaining military vessels.

Over the past two decades, the share of domestically produced components in Türkiye’s defense industry has increased from 20 percent to more than 80 percent, reflecting the country’s efforts to strengthen its defense manufacturing capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.