National Technology Momentum in Istanbul: More Than 1,700 Companies Gathered Under One Roof
The SAHA 2026 Defence, Aviation and Space Industry Exhibition continues in Istanbul with intense participation. President Erdoğan’s statements, domestic defence technologies, export targets and the transformation in national production marked the exhibition.
Organised by SAHA Istanbul, Türkiye’s and Europe’s largest defence, aviation and space industry cluster, the SAHA 2026 International Defence, Aviation and Space Industry Exhibition has become the global showcase of the defence industry at the Istanbul Expo Center. Standing out as one of the largest organisations to date, the exhibition is being held across a massive area of 400,000 square metres.
With the participation of more than 1,700 companies, including 263 foreign firms, the organisation has attracted the attention not only of Türkiye but also of the global defence ecosystem. A total of 140 official delegations and more than 800 delegates from over 120 countries are closely examining the next-generation technologies exhibited at the fair. In particular, the 203 new products introduced for the first time reveal the level Türkiye has reached in defence and aviation production capacity.
President Erdoğan: “SAHA Has Now Become a Global Brand”
Participating in the exhibition, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasised that Türkiye’s transformation in the defence industry has now become visible on an international scale. Pointing to the level reached by the SAHA organisation, Erdoğan stated that the exhibition has now turned into a global brand value for the sector.
In his speech, Erdoğan noted the strategic importance of bringing together Türkiye’s production power in defence, aviation and space under one roof. In Erdoğan’s remarks, which thanked everyone working in the defence industry from engineers to technicians, the collective effort of the production ecosystem particularly stood out.
“Türkiye Is No Longer a Supplier, but a Game Changer”
The evaluations made by Yaşar Güler were among the most striking messages of the exhibition. Stating that Türkiye’s role in the defence industry has changed, Güler said that the country has moved beyond being merely a supplier of products and has risen to the position of a global game changer.
Güler’s remarks, particularly regarding the “Steel Dome” air defence approach and the impact of UAV and UCAV technologies in transforming war doctrines, demonstrated that the influence of the Turkish defence industry in the field is now being evaluated not theoretically but operationally.
The Increase in the Localisation Rate Drew Attention
Cevdet Yılmaz described the transformation experienced in the defence industry over the last 23 years as a “revolution”. Pointing out that a sector once 80 percent dependent on foreign sources has now reached a localisation level exceeding 80 percent, Yılmaz stressed that behind this transformation lies not only political determination but also engineering capability.
Another notable element in Yılmaz’s statements was that Türkiye had positioned itself early by correctly reading global defence trends. This approach is considered to have provided Türkiye with a significant advantage amid increasing geopolitical risks in recent years.
Expectation of a New Record in Defence Exports
The data shared by Ömer Bolat also revealed the economic scale of the sector. Stating that Türkiye’s defence and aviation exports exceeded 10 billion dollars last year, Bolat announced that in the first four months of this year, exports surpassed 2.8 billion dollars with an increase of 28 percent.
While the total value of agreements expected to be signed during the exhibition could exceed 10 billion dollars, these figures have led to comments that Türkiye is approaching a new threshold in defence exports.
The Main Message at SAHA 2026: “National Production” Now Begins with Raw Materials
One of the most strategic statements of the exhibition came from Celalettin Kırboz. Kırboz’s evaluations revealed that localisation in the defence industry is no longer limited solely to platform production.
While highlighting the transformation taking place particularly in raw materials, alloy technologies and production infrastructure, it was emphasised that Türkiye has taken critical steps to reduce foreign dependency.
The main points highlighted in Kırboz’s remarks were listed as follows:
- A special production line was established in Türkiye for the critical raw materials used in Fırtına howitzer ammunition.
- Domestic production has begun for the armoured vehicle steel hub bearings previously imported from France.
- Domestic aluminium technologies have started to be used in the landing mechanisms of the Bayraktar TB2 and next-generation kamikaze systems.
- Thanks to new recycling-focused infrastructures, a production model has been developed that enables scrap materials to be transformed into high-technology defence components.
- According to sector representatives, this transformation demonstrates that Türkiye aims to nationalise not only the final product but the entire production chain in the defence industry.
SAHA 2026 Became the Centre of Global Collaborations
Hosting more than 30,000 planned B2B meetings, SAHA 2026 became not only a defence exhibition but also a strategic platform where global technology and investment networks are shaped.
The overall picture displayed at the exhibition reveals that Türkiye has now moved beyond being merely a regional production hub in defence and aviation, while comments suggest that the national technology initiative has entered a new phase in terms of industry, exports and geopolitical influence.
