“We will work incessantly until we achieve the goal of a fully independent Türkiye in defense industry”

 

Speaking at the closing event of the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition, President Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye has taken its proud place among the countries whose stars shine globally in the area of defense and aerospace, and said: “Behind this successful picture, undoubtedly, lie decades of work, over 100 thousand sons and daughters of the homeland working devotedly round the clock, our nation’s support and our state’s determination. It will inshallah reach a much better level. We, together, will write greater success stories and work incessantly until we achieve the goal of a fully independent Türkiye in defense industry.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the closing event of the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition in Istanbul.

“TURKISH DEFENSE INDUSTRY HAS NOW TURNED INTO AN ECOSYSTEM THAT IS APPRECIATED ACROSS THE GLOBE”

President Erdoğan stated: “We are experiencing the rightful pride of crowning the exhibition, the fifth edition of which is being held this year, with new records, new agreements and new partnerships. 1763 firms, including 1500 national and 263 foreign, have participated in SAHA 2026. 203 items, which have made a strong impression with their new features during the exhibition, have been showcased for the first time. 192 official delegations and 108 purchasing delegations have established direct contact with our sector. $8 billion in business volume has been achieved with the 182 agreements signed. $6 billion of this figure is composed of agreements for direct exports.”

President Erdoğan went on to say: “The scene we see when we look at the whole picture is as follows: The Turkish defense industry has now turned into an ecosystem that is appreciated, trusted, preferred and closely followed not only in its region but across the globe. Türkiye has taken its proud place among the countries whose stars shine globally in the area of defense and aerospace. Behind this successful picture, undoubtedly, lie decades of work, over 100 thousand sons and daughters of the homeland working devotedly round the clock, our nation’s support and our state’s determination. It will inshallah reach a much better level. We, together, will write greater success stories and work incessantly until we achieve the goal of a fully independent Türkiye in defense industry.”

“IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO LIMIT SECURITY TO A SINGLE DOMAIN”

Noting that as the world is changing swiftly and the Turkish war industry is undergoing a profound transformation, the concept of security is also being affected by all this,  President Erdoğan stated: “It is now evident to us all that at the current point we have reached, it is no longer possible to limit security to a single domain, a single field, or a single branch of industry. Security is rather a holistic concept in all its aspects, extending from the factory to the testing process, from the data center to the academia, and from the supply chain to the feedback. In a similar fashion, a country’s deterrence has long exceeded the threshold of being measured by the number of platforms in its possession. What matters is what software you employ to develop the platforms in your inventory, what sensors you utilize in them, what engines you develop for these products, and how long it takes you to manufacture what ammunition. The decisive factor is your level of preparedness against cyberattacks, electronic warfare threats, unmanned systems, and hybrid war methods. We have experienced these facts once again in the wars and conflict environments that have recently unfolded in our region and across the world. We have all witnessed, and continue to witness, how the battlefield has transformed across a wide spectrum ranging from artificial intelligence and unmanned vehicles to autonomous systems and decision-support mechanisms.”

“TÜRKİYE IS A STATE POSSESSING MORE THAN ENOUGH POWER AND STRENGTH TO OVERPOWER ANY HOSTILE ACTOR”

President Erdoğan further stressed: “I would like to state with great pride that Türkiye is undoubtedly one of the founding actors of this new era, in which conventional elements of power have been replaced by multi-layered and integrated systems. Today, Türkiye produces its next-generation national fighter aircraft, unmanned combat aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and UCAVs. It develops electronic warfare systems, satellite technologies, air defense systems, and radar capabilities. It manufactures and builds its own tanks, rockets, missiles, armored vehicles, warships, and unmanned naval vehicles. In short, from the depths of the seas to the vastness of space, Türkiye is a country capable of developing and producing its own software, platforms and systems bearing its unique signature at every level. Türkiye is a state possessing more than enough power and strength to overpower any hostile actor that would dare threaten its independence and future.”