President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the SAHA EXPO International Defense, Aerospace, and Space Industry Fair held at the Istanbul Expo Center, organized under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, with support from various ministries and the Secretariat of Defense Industries.
In his speech, President Erdoğan shared SAHA Istanbul's nine-year journey, emphasizing its goals of advancing domestic production, acquiring critical technologies, and boosting Türkiye's global competitiveness in the defense and aerospace sectors. President Erdoğan emphasized the significance of SAHA EXPO as a premier platform for the defense sector, where agreements totaling USD 6.2 billion, including USD 4.6 billion in export contracts, are expected to be signed. The President also noted that Türkiye's defense and aerospace industry achieved USD 5.6 billion in export deals in 2023, with similar figures anticipated at this year's event.
President Erdoğan offered additional insights, stating, “In 2002, our defense exports barely reached USD 248 million—a figure we have since raised to USD 5.6 billion. Last year alone, we exported over 230 defense products to 185 countries." He noted that Turkish defense and aerospace exports rose 32 percent in September compared to the same month last year, with exports over the past 12 months reaching USD 6.015 billion, marking a 10.4 percent increase. “Turkish defense companies have set new records in 2024, exporting to 178 countries," the President concluded.
Shifting focus to the global impact of Türkiye's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including the Bayraktar TB2, Akıncı, ANKA, and AKSUNGUR, President Erdoğan described these technologies as 'game-changers' and announced plans to add the KIZILELMA and ANKA III UAV models to Türkiye's defense arsenal.
As part of the fair, the Investment Office hosted a panel discussion on Türkiye's aerospace and defense industry. The discussion featured insights from prominent industry professionals, including Rolls-Royce Country Director Görkem Kiriş Gümüşel, Axiom Space International Government Business Director Necmettin Kaymaz, and Kale Pratt & Whitney General Manager Semih Pilatin.
Moderated by Investment Office Head of Communications Gökhan Yücel, the panel explored the role of Türkiye's local industries in global value chains, the vision of international aerospace companies operating in Türkiye, and future growth opportunities for the sector.