Turkey’s defense industry grows by 19 % in 2010, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

The total revenue of Turkish defense industry amounted to $2.773 billion in 2010, up from $2.319 billion in 2009. This is a robust growth, said a report released by the Defense Industry Manufacturers’ Association.

However, the Turkish industry reported a 5 percent decline in exports. Total exports stood at $634 million in 2010, down from $669 million in 2009.

"The slight drop in exports reflects the continuing effects in 2010 of the global financial crisis," reads the report.

Analysts said one reason for growth in the near future for the Turkish industry is heavy investment in research and development activity. In 2010 the defense industry spent $666 million on research and development, up 32 percent from $505 million in 2009.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised that Turkey’s local defense companies would manufacture tanks, helicopters, warplanes, and military satellites in the next 12 years as part of his party’s election manifesto for parliamentary polls scheduled for June 2011.

The research released earlier showed that Turks have negative attitude towards the world. Thus the opinion poll revealed many people in Turkey have negative views of Arabs, Armenians, Jews, Greeks, Russians, and Americans. The respondents’ attitude towards Armenians, Jews, and Greeks was especially unfavorable. About 73.9% said they have negative attitude towards Armenians, 71.5% - about Jews, and 67% - about Greeks.