Over US$6.2 billion worth of agreements expected to be finalised during event. In keeping with its towering status on the world stage, the limelight was squarely on Türkiye’s rapidly growing indigenous defence industry as SAHA Expo 2024, the fourth edition...
To read the full article, please log in or enter your email below:
Over US$6.2 billion worth of agreements expected to be finalised during event.
In keeping with its towering status on the world stage, the limelight was squarely on Türkiye’s rapidly growing indigenous defence industry as SAHA Expo 2024, the fourth edition of the biennial event, officially opened on Tuesday.
Yaşar Güler, Minister of National Defence of Türkiye, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology, Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of the Defence Industry Agency of Türkiye, and Haluk Bayraktar, SAHA Istanbul Chairman and Baykar CEO, addressed a packed audience to kickstart the biennial event.
The edition is the biggest ever, both in size and stature. Over 1,400 companies, representatives from 120 countries, and more than 300 official delegations are at the event that is expected to draw more than 150,000 visitors. More than 25,000 B2B meetings and 53 product launches will take place.
Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır spoke about the covert and overt embargoes that the country has faced for many years from those “who want to weaken our country at the table and in the military field.” Türkiye has encountered various difficulties in the supply and maintenance processes of defence products. “Our experience has shown that developing original technologies in the defence industry is a matter of survival of our country.”
Türkiye increased its localization rate from 20 percent in 2002 to o over 80 percent in 2023, the Minister said. The quality and quantity of our defence projects have shown tremendous development. While 62 defence industry projects were carried out in 2002, the number has now exceeded a thousand. There has been a 12 percent increase year to date in defence exports in 2024, he added.
The ongoing edition seems set to be a record-breaking one. To applause from the audience, Bayraktar said a total of US$6.2 billion worth of agreements are expected to be finalised in 133 signing ceremonies during the fair. Export contracts alone will account for US$4.6 billion. Interestingly, Türkiye’s defence and aviation sector's exports in 2023 amounted to US$5.5 billion, a record. The event gives the Turkish defence industry a chance to showcase the extensive range of products and technological innovations that has helped the country become the 11th largest arms exporter in the world.
Bayraktar lauded the Turkish defence and aviation industry for its wide range of products and capabilities. “We have a say in every field, from land vehicles to sea platforms, unmanned aerial platforms to ammunition, missiles to communication and combat support systems. These capabilities strengthen our national security and make our country a competitive player in the global market.”
Bayraktar also alluded to the sterling performance of the Turkish domestic defence and aviation sector when it comes to exports. Revenue from exports touched US$5.5 billion while as many as 230 Turkish defence industry products reaching 185 countries. Baykar's exports exceeding $1.7 billion are a clear indication of our global leadership in unmanned aerial vehicle technology, he said. The presence of institutions such as TUSAŞ, MKE, TEI, as well as high-tech companies such as Roketsan and Aselsan on the list reflects the depth and diversity of the sector, he added.
Türkiye’s leading international defence and aerospace exhibition is organized by SAHA Istanbul, the biggest defence and aerospace cluster of Türkiye and Europe. The cluster has over 1,200 members, including 29 universities. For the first time in the history of the event, there are pavilions for cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. There is a Space pavilion as well, to showcase the progress made by Türkiye in the domain and to provide show visitors information about the National Space Program.
Fly Across MRO has joined Embraer’s Authorised Service Centre Network for Executive Jets, providing base maintenance services for the Phenom…
LCR Embedded Systems has introduced the DK3HS-4, a four-slot VPX development platform designed to support 100Gb data rates (25Gb per…
Dedienne Aerospace has renewed its CFM LEAP tooling licence with CFM International for a further 10 years. The agreement extends…
FLUX GmbH (FLUX) has announced a new 300mm size option for its IND-MAX range of inductive angle encoders, designed for…
Orbit Communication Systems Ltd. has launched the MPT30Ka Deployable SATCOM System, a portable satellite communication terminal designed for rapid deployment…
AAR CORP. has entered into an exclusive distribution and licence agreement with BELAC LLC, a subsidiary of Chromalloy, for Parts…
Boeing's X-66 Sustainable Flight Demonstrator has completed two initial wind tunnel tests using scale models, a necessary step before a…
Assac Networks, a subsidiary of Aspis Cyber Technologies Inc., has secured a contract with a government authority in Asia to…
The U.S. Army’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) has acquired a THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) from Milrem…
Muirhead has introduced BioPRO Foam, a protein-based aviation biofoam that is naturally fire-resistant. The patented material is made using hydrolysed…
Korean Air has introduced a new corporate value system as it commemorates its 56th anniversary. The initiative, called "KE Way,"…
Lockheed Martin has announced that the global fleet of F-35 aircraft has accumulated more than 1 million flight hours. The…
Three MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters underwent Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) flights in January as part of efforts to…
BAE Systems and Hamek have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by which they wili work together to support Norway’s…
Turkiye has offered Indonesia the opportunity to participate in the co-development and co-production of its domestically developed 5th-generation fighter jet,…
A Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50 fighter jet that went missing during a night operation has been located on Mount…
Singapore will procure two additional Type 218SG diesel-electric submarines, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced in a parliamentary statement on…
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) tested its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during Nankai Rescue 2024, a disaster response exercise led by…
Aselsan's GÖZDE Guidance Kit has made history by precisely striking a high-speed moving target during a test conducted with F-16…
Northrop Grumman and Hanwha have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in connection with South Korea's Mine Countermeasures Helicopter (KMCH)…
Lockheed Martin, Nokia and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) today announced the successful integration of Nokia's military-grade 5G solutions into Lockheed Martin's…
Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force (ITF) recently completed an initial flight test integrating the Long…
The United States Air Force (USAF) has designated its new Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), being developed and built by General…
French water treatment company BIO-UV Group has dispatched a second BIO-SEA ballast water treatment system to the United States for…
Neutral Air Partner (NAP) has introduced NAPAY, a payment solution designed for its network members. The system was developed in…
DHL Group is expanding its electric vehicle (EV) logistics and supply chain solutions in the Asia Pacific region with the…
Air Astana will introduce a direct flight between Almaty and Da Nang, Vietnam, starting on 4th June 2025. The service…
Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has handed over 700 Maung MV3 special vehicles, produced by PT Pindad, to the Indonesian…
Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has handed over 700 Maung MV3 special vehicles, produced by PT Pindad, to the Indonesian…
AARONIA AG presented its latest advancements in drone detection and electronic warfare at Enforce Tac 2025, held in Nuremberg from…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2025 GBP all rights reserved.