Board members of SAHA Istanbul convened on Monday in Ankara for a high-level press conference to outline the road map for one of the world's most significant defense gatherings.
Officials confirmed that the upcoming exhibition, scheduled for May 5 to 9, is no longer just a trade show but has evolved into a strategic global platform for investment and international cooperation.
SAHA Istanbul Deputy Chairperson and Roketsan General Manager Murat Ikinci highlighted the exponential growth of the event. He noted that the 2024 edition secured a contract portfolio exceeding $6 billion (TL 262.39 billion) with participants from more than 120 countries.
"We achieved significant success in 2024," Ikinci said. "For 2026, our target is to climb much higher than those figures," Ikinci said.
The 2026 exhibition will span a massive area of over 100,000 square meters. Organizers are planning for more than 1,500 participating companies and over 25,000 scheduled business meetings, including B2B, B2C and C2C sessions. Ikinci emphasized that SAHA 2026 will differentiate itself through live demonstrations and interactive zones.
"This will not be an event consisting only of static booths," Ikinci said. "For the first time, we will feature dedicated FPV drone areas, unmanned ground vehicle combat zones and robotics competitions. One of the most anticipated events will be the World Drone Wars, a global first that underscores the integrated nature of the fair."
He further described SAHA 2026 as a comprehensive platform that merges innovation with production capability and market access. According to Ikinci, the fair represents an investment-based approach where the focus is not just on ideas but on the tangible ability to manufacture and deliver technology to the global market.
Aselsan General Manager Ahmet Akyol noted that the event serves as a stage to demonstrate Türkiye's reliability as a long-term strategic partner. He emphasized the dynamism of the Turkish defense sector, which he believes runs faster than its global competitors.
"We are an ambitious team," Akyol said. "I do not think there is another sector as dynamic as ours, with as much testing and rapid product development. We will see the results of this agility at SAHA 2026."
Adding to this vision of industrial maturity, Mehmet Demiroğlu, general manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), stated that the industry is shifting its focus away from unveiling first-time surprises.
"At SAHA, we want to focus on deliveries rather than just prototypes," Demiroglu said. "We want to celebrate our hundredth and thousandth deliveries to show our manufacturing strength."
Orhan Aydın, president of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBITAK), expressed pride in seeing young and new companies join the ecosystem. He noted that public days at the fair would allow the broader population to witness and share in the recent technological successes achieved by the nation.
Levent Kerim Uca, secretary-general of SAHA Istanbul, provided a detailed financial outlook during his presentation. He recalled that the 2024 fair resulted in $6.19 billion in signed contracts.
"We evaluate that this figure could reach $8 billion in 2026," Uca said. The fair aims to represent 140 countries and host more than 150,000 visitors, including a high number of international investors looking to enter the defense market.
Uca pointed out the incredible growth trajectory of the event since its inception. "We started in 2018 with just 5,000 square meters," he said. "In eight years, we have grown 20 times in area and nearly 10 times in the number of participants. We are now among the top three defense fairs in Europe."
Major international pavilions are expected from the U.S., France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, South Korea, Italy and Pakistan. This global representation confirms the fair's status as a critical node in the international defense supply chain.
The 2026 edition will also expand its physical footprint beyond the Istanbul Expo Center. While the main exhibits stay inland, the Ataköy Marina and Sarayburnu Port will host indigenous assets of the Turkish Naval Forces.
A major highlight will be the TCG Anadolu, which will be docked at Sarayburnu from May 6 to 9. The ship will be open to official delegations and the general public on specific days, offering a rare look at Türkiye's naval capabilities.
In addition to maritime and land defense, the fair will place a heavy emphasis on space. A dedicated Space Dome area will host astronauts and scientists for keynote speeches and discussions. International mechanisms like the NATO Innovation Fund and NATO DIANA are also expected to participate, aligning the event with broader Western security frameworks.
The organizing committee aims to use SAHA 2026 as a springboard to further expand Turkish defense exports, which currently reach over 180 countries. By bringing together manufacturing power and strategic investment, the fair seeks to cement Türkiye's role as a primary provider of security solutions on the world stage.
