“SAHA 2026 is the global showcase of Türkiye’s determination in defense and aerospace.” – Haluk Bayraktar
The global security architecture is no longer defined solely by military power balances. What is decisive today is technological sovereignty, production agility, supply chain resilience, data superiority, and the capacity to establish strategic cooperation. The defense and aviation industry has moved beyond the classical platform approach and has been reshaped by artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, space technologies, cybersecurity, and dual-use solutions. In this new era, Türkiye is rising to a stronger position—not merely as an observer, but as one of the countries that develop, produce, export, and set the direction.
Within this framework, we view SAHA 2026 not just as a fair, but as a multidimensional platform that carries Türkiye’s accumulated expertise, industrial capacity, and strategic vision in defense, aviation, and space to the world. Taking place at the Istanbul Expo Center from May 5–9, 2026, SAHA 2026 will bring together more than 1,500 companies, public institutions, universities, official delegations, procurement missions, and industry professionals across an exhibition area exceeding 100,000 square meters. In this respect, the event will be not only a meeting ground for commercial contacts but also a center where defense diplomacy, the pursuit of technology transfer, and long-term strategic partnerships take shape.
The fundamental approach behind SAHA 2026 is this: strong countries are not those that merely purchase systems, but those that develop critical technologies, deepen their subcontractor ecosystem, expand R&D infrastructure, and make high-value-added production sustainable. In recent years, Türkiye has made significant progress in this direction in defense and aviation. At the point we have reached today, the issue is not just about showcasing platforms. It is about presenting a reliable industrial ecosystem, flexible production capability, high engineering capacity, and a technology base open to international cooperation. SAHA 2026 is positioned exactly within this framework.
The results achieved at the previous event were a strong indication of this. At SAHA EXPO 2024, 1,478 companies from more than 120 countries came together; over 25,000 scheduled business meetings were held, 133 signing ceremonies took place, and a total business volume of 6.2 billion dollars was generated. For SAHA 2026, we aim to further expand this foundation, establish more qualified contacts, and generate greater strategic impact. For us, sheer size alone is not enough. What truly matters is transforming that size into lasting collaborations, co-production models, access to new markets, and technology-focused trust relationships.
This year, we have designed our program to be more operational, more visible, and more experience-oriented. At SAHA 2026, systems and solutions will be exhibited across a wide range, including unmanned systems, land, naval, missiles, air, space, air defense, and military electronics. In addition, visitors will not only see products but will also have the opportunity to experience technology’s real-world counterpart more concretely through live demonstrations and interactive areas. Zones such as the FPV Drone Zone, SAHA UGV Challenge, and SAHA Rover Challenge will be important components of this approach. The Open Area and Naval Exhibition Section, which attracted intense interest in the previous event, has also been redesigned in a larger and more accessible format.
One of the most striking highlights of SAHA 2026 will be SAHA WDW – World Drone Wars. Designed as the world's first international military FPV drone competition, this event will offer a unique format where teams from more than ten countries will compete fiercely in terms of speed, maneuverability, and target accuracy. We do not see this merely as a contest. This event will serve as a strategic showcase where next-generation warfare concepts, low-cost yet high-impact technologies, and game-changing systems become visible. It will also carry an important message regarding the global role Türkiye aspires to play in FPV drone technologies.
Another fundamental strength of SAHA 2026 is its multi-layered meeting and collaboration structure. Meetings planned in B2B, G2B, and G2G formats will bring together not only companies but also decision-makers, official delegations, investors, and procurement authorities on the same ground. Panels, keynote speakers, sectoral meetings, signing ceremonies, launches, thematic and country pavilions, and activities linked to NATO DIANA will transform the fair from merely an exhibition space into a strategic platform where the global defense and aviation agenda is discussed. Our goal here is to further consolidate Türkiye’s position, not only as a country that offers products but as one that proposes solutions, develops partnerships, and contributes to long-term collaborations.
Our approach is clear: SAHA 2026 is not just an event that showcases today’s technologies. It is also a contact area that shapes the supply chains, security partnerships, and industrial collaborations of the future. The key to the new era in defense and aviation lies in reliable partnership, joint development, knowledge sharing, and long-term strategic alignment. With its strong engineering infrastructure, dynamic industrial structure, young human resources, and geostrategic location, Türkiye is a very important hub in this equation. SAHA 2026 will be one of the most visible international stages of this central role.
Our invitation to all international participants, official delegations, industry representatives, and technology developers is clear: We see SAHA 2026 not merely as an event, but as the strategic meeting point of the new era. We believe that every contact made, every meeting held, and every collaboration established here will contribute to the future security and technology architecture. Türkiye is no longer simply a rising actor in defense and aerospace; it is a country that sets the direction, generates trust, and co-builds a shared future. SAHA 2026 will be the strongest international expression of this determination.