Turkish Defense Industry on Display at SAHA 2026 as TCG Anadolu Anchors Military Expo
Turkey showcases its growing defense exports at SAHA 2026, with TCG Anadolu and advanced drones highlighting the Turkish defense industry’s global reach.
The Turkish defense industry took center stage in Istanbul this week as the TCG Anadolu, the navy’s largest vessel, anchored near the Topkapi Palace and provided a public glimpse of capabilities normally reserved for the military. The show coincided with SAHA 2026, the country’s largest defense exhibition, which drew manufacturers and delegations from dozens of countries. Organizers and state procurement officials presented the event as proof of Turkey’s shift from arms importer to major exporter of military technology.
Aboard the TCG Anadolu
Captain Nadir Kılınç led a rare civilian tour of the TCG Anadolu, highlighting the ship’s capacity to carry helicopters, drones and troops. The vessel can reportedly accommodate up to 29 helicopters, 41 drones and 700 personnel, and visitors were shown hangars, a floodable well deck for landing craft and a flight deck adapted for rotary wing operations. A Baykar TB3 drone was displayed on the bow ramp, underscoring the prominence of Turkish unmanned systems.
SAHA 2026 Draws Global Delegations
SAHA 2026 drew thousands of attendees and a broad roster of exhibitors from around the world, reflecting the event’s rapid expansion since its inception. Organizers said the fifth edition hosted more than 1,700 companies from over 70 countries and attracted roughly 100,000 visitors to the fair. Exhibitors ranged from local suppliers to international firms, illustrating the marketplace role the exhibition now plays for deals and partnerships.
Export Surge and Economic Effects
Turkish officials point to steep growth in defense exports as evidence of a structural change in the sector. According to state figures cited at the fair, exports rose from about 248 million dollars in 2002 to roughly 10 billion dollars in the most recent reporting year. That surge has translated into corporate gains on domestic markets, with major electronics and systems firms seeing sharply higher valuations in local currency terms.
State Procurement and Industry Scale Up
The show also highlighted the active role of Turkey’s procurement agency in steering industry development and orders. The SSB, which oversees state acquisition and development programs, reported thousands of defense firms and a workforce exceeding 100,000, with targets to expand employment further by 2028. Officials emphasized high localization rates in production and publicly stated aims to boost domestic content and strategic self reliance.
Cutting Edge Systems on Display
SAHA 2026 showcased a wide spectrum of hardware and prototypes, from unmanned surface and subsurface systems to mobile laser based counterdrone defenses and a new long range missile system presented as Yildirimhan. Presentations at the fair included training jets sold abroad, corvette construction for export, and integrated air defense systems described by manufacturers as designed to reduce reliance on imported interceptors. Baykar and other drone producers continued to be focal points for delegations seeking remotely piloted capabilities.
NATO Reaction and International Deals
International response to Turkey’s industry expansion has been mixed but notably engaged. Visiting officials, including NATO representatives, praised aspects of Turkey’s industrial scaling and suggested partners could learn from its approach to production and procurement. Delegations from NATO countries and regional states pursued joint ventures and local production agreements, while press accounts and company spokespeople reported billions of dollars in orders and commercial interest stemming from the fair.
Orders recorded at the close of the exhibition were reported in the billions of dollars, and organizers said proceeds would support domestic training and drone centers across the country. Those initiatives aim to broaden technical skills and to cultivate a new generation of engineers and operators in all provinces. For Ankara, the show served both as a commercial marketplace and as a public demonstration of the industrial depth that now underpins Turkey’s defense posture.
The rapid growth of Turkey’s defense sector now presents a new set of policy questions for partners and competitors alike, as export success and technological diffusion reshape regional procurement and capability balances.
