Innovative Strength on Display: Turkish Defense Expo Draws Global Attention
The Sixteenth edition of the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) is unfolding at Tüyap Fair Center in İstanbul. More than 30 countries, including Türkiye, China, and France, are participating in the fair to exhibit the products of more than a thousand brands. Indigenous Turkish products gather attention from visitors.
International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) is transpiring at Tüyap Fair Center under the auspices of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TAFF).
Conducted biennially, the sixteenth edition of the fourth-largest defense fair in the world has started this Tuesday and will continue until Friday.
Numerous countries exhibit their products in various defense fields, including robotics, navigation, aerospace, missiles, land vehicles, security systems, and simulators.
High-profile visitors, such as statesmen, armed forces leaders, and CEOs over the globe, visit the fair.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the fair via a video call and spoke about increasing revenues of the Turkish defense sector.
“We have achieved a record export value of US$2.37 billion in the first six months of this year. Our target is US$6 billion for 2023,” the President said.
He also expressed that Türkiye can meet its own defensive needs with its indigenous products. Among these products are the world’s first drone carrier ship, TCG Anadolu, Kızılelma armed drones, and the Turkish Fighter jet, Kaan.
Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler spoke during the opening ceremony of the fair too, saying, “In the centennial of our Republic, the beginning of the Turkish Century, our primary goal is to equip our armed forces with domestic, national, and state-of-the-art combat equipment and ammunition, thus further increasing the effectiveness and deterrence of our military in today's and future combat environment.”
The fair is an impeccable way to market their products for manufacturers. Contractors and procurement heads of companies visit the fair alongside the members of the many armed forces.
POWERING THE FUTURE OF DEFENSE: TURKISH COMPANIES SHINE AT IDEF
TAFF’s HAVELSAN, ASELSAN, ROKETSAN; Ministry of Defense’s ASFAT; Ministry of Industry and Technology’s TUSAŞ; and private contractors like DEXXDEF exhibit their cutting-edge products at the fair.
HAVELSAN’s work concentrates on software solutions. At IDEF, the company showcases state-of-the-art unmanned vehicle solutions, which continue to develop within the "digital unity" concept.
TAFF founded ASELSAN in 1975 to produce to fulfill the electronics and communication needs of the Turkish Armed Forces with national possibilities.
The GÖKDEMİR Launch System, YILDIRIM-100 Directed Infrared Countermeasure System, EREN-II Forest Surveillance Radar System, GÖKBERK Mobile Laser Weapon System, and SERHAT-DUAL Mobile Mortar Detection Radar are in display for the first time at IDEF 2023.
TAFF is the majority owner of ROKETSAN. Its minor owners include Vakıfbank, Aselsan, and MKE.
The semi-private company aims to design and produce rockets and missiles in Türkiye, mainly for the Turkish Armed Forces.
ROKETSAN presents 30 of its products, 7 of which are shown for the first time.
These products include the mobile air defense system Burç; IHA-230, Türkiye's first air-to-surface ballistic supersonic missile fired from armed drones; the long-range anti-tank missile system UMTAS-GM Blok-1; the Infrared Imager Seeker and Semi-Active Laser head configurations; UMTAS-GM Block-2; KMC-U Weapon System and MAM-L IIR and MAM-T IIR.
TAFF’s subsidiary companies do not only produce for the Turkish Military. For example, 32 percent of ROKETSAN’s revenues came from direct exports this year, and according to chairman Prof. Dr. Faruk Yiğit, the aim for the next year is at least half of its entire revenues.
ROKETSAN director general Murat İkinci said the organization regards 2023 as the year of exports and that they are working tirelessly to increase export revenues.
ASFAT’s exhibition area hosts products of strategically high significance. Fifteen fundamental products are on stage from ASFAT, and one of them - the HGK-84 Guidance Kit - is on display for the first time.
ONUR Fuze sets, A-400M Retrofit Project, MEMATT, and ARPAN-155 Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Mounted Howitzer are among the projects on display.
TUSAŞ aims to decrease Türkiye’s dependency on external sources in the defense sector.
The T925 Heavy Class Utility Helicopter is being unveiled at IDEF. The details of the Autonomous Arm Flight (OKU) project, which will enable the MMU KAAN and ANKA 3 UAV systems to act together, will also be introduced at this exhibition.
The TUSAŞ stand features the indigenous platforms ANKA, T925 Heavy Class GENERAL MAKSAT HELICOPTER, HÜRJET, HÜRKUŞ, GÖKBEY, KARGO UAV, Space Systems, and the MMU KAAN simulator experience area.
DEXXDEF, a subsidiary of DEXXON, is also exhibiting military camouflage, ballistic protective accessories, and security systems.
These products include ballistic protective gear of different levels, NATO-approved camouflage kits, helmets, and the like.