13.05.2011
Turkish shipbuilding industry has sufficient capabilities to build an aircraft carrier, said director of Turkey's defense industry department Murad Bayar.
According to him, to create carrier strike group, Turkey should have two new destroyers, one submarine, four missile boats, 40 deck-based fighters, and multipurpose/antisubmarine/antisurface helicopters. The crew of a carrier (depending on dimensions) may number 1,000-5,000 men.
At present, Turkish defense industry covers requirements of national armed forces on 52.1%. Its total turnover has reached $2.7 bln, export – $ 853 mln, annual expenditure on research and development is evaluated as $600 mln.
