Poland, Azerbaijan eye award-winning Turkish arms
Visitors examine Sarsılmaz arms during the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2021) in Istanbul, Turkey, Aug. 17, 2021. (AA Photo)


Turkish weapon manufacturing giant Sarsılmaz attracted the attention of visitors at Polish and Azerbaijani defense fairs with its domestic products.

The company said Thursday in a statement that it attended the 30th International Defense Industry Fair MSPO held in Kielce, Poland between Sept. 6-9 for the first time this year.

At the event, it exhibited its products consisting of infantry rifles, machine guns and pistols.

MSPO, which is an exhibition where international companies deliver the military equipment they produce to their target audiences with a comprehensive presentation, also draws attention as an organization where networks are established between manufacturers and defense sector organizations from different continents.

Türkiye’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar together with his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak visited the Sarsılmaz booth at the fair and examined the weapons produced by the company with domestic resources.

The company, meanwhile, simultaneously participated in the ADEX 2022 Azerbaijan International Defense Fair, which was held for the fourth time this year in Baku.

At the fair, where prominent companies operating in all areas of the defense industry, from land, air and naval defense systems to weapon systems, heavy and light equipment to electronic warfare systems, took part, Sarsılmaz introduced a total of 64 models, consisting of pistols to submachine guns, from infantry rifles to submachine and heavy machine guns.

Sarsılmaz also met with more than 150 senior representatives from more than 30 international military delegations while business-to-business meetings provided the participants the opportunity to establish new relationships with various organizations and potential partners.

Latif Aral Aliş, chairperson of the board of directors of Sarsılmaz Arms Industry, whose evaluations were included in the company statement, said that they held various meetings with the Azerbaijani minister of defense, deputy minister, representatives of naval, air and ground troops, as well as officials of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the border service, the Interior Ministry and other security organizations at ADEX.

As Türkiye's most established weapons manufacturer, and an important actor in the international arms industry with its exports to more than 80 countries, he said, "our company, which has the ability to supply all kinds of weapons that can meet all the needs of a military unit, is among the world's leading manufacturers."

Sarsılmaz products are used by the armed forces and law enforcement forces of 23 countries.