Local defense companies present new products at Istanbul fair

Visitors have the chance to see and examine a variety of locally-produced products, from armored vehicles to guns, databases for intelligence-gathering purposes and jammers at the fair, which has been held under the auspices and support of the Turkish Defense Ministry, which is part of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TAFF), at the Tüyap Fairs and Exhibitions Organization in Istanbul.

Turkish HAVELSAN has been exhibiting safe ballot boxes and parachute simulators in its fair stand. In the simulation, training and testing systems stands, the following products and technologies have been shown: The F-16 Weapon Tactical Trainer, the combat simulator, the parachute simulator, the Drone Task Training Simulator, the Air Forces Information System (HvBS) and the Ship Integrated Combat Management System (GENESIS), among others.  

In the company’s cyber security and information technologies stands, various new technologies have been exhibited, including the Military Health Automation System (ASOS), the Monitoring Processing Systems (GAYE, HASAT, IGT-TUYGUN) and an electronic ballot box, among others. 

ASELSAN, a leading Turkish defense company, has also exhibited a wide range of products and technologies in various fields, from border security to naval services, communication systems and electronic combat systems. 

Locally-made UAV on show 

Vestel Savunma, the defense unit of Turkish company Vestel, has been exhibiting its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system for discovery and monitoring purposes, called Karayel. In accordance with an agreement between the Turkish Undersecretary of the Defense Industries (SSM) and Vestel Savunma, this UAV was completely developed and produced by Turkish engineers. 

Vestel Savunma CEO Aziz Sipahi said Karayel is the first and only locally-produced tactical drone which complies with NATO’s Airworthiness Requirements in Civil Airspace, numbered 4671. 

Turkish company exhibits its armored modular units 

Turkish Vekon, which exports goods to more than 70 countries, has been exhibiting its armored modular units. These units, which are produced within EU standards, include cabins and containers to be used mainly for the purposes of security cottages or police station houses. 

Another popular product at the fair has been a jammer to block phone signals. 

A representative from ATEL Technologies, the maker of the product, said the company took orders for the products from at least two school principals, as they want to direct students’ attention to their lessons at school rather than their mobile phones. 

“Students are usually interested in their mobile phones and internet at school, rather than their classes. Private school principals find us to solve this problem and order our product. They even offer a two-fold price,” said Mert Varlık, a project manager from the company. 

Varlık noted the company could not sell any products to private companies so they recommend school principals find alternative ways. 

The IDEF, as a technology defense industry fair incorporating both main defense industry branches and their subordinates, has been an essential international marketing arena for defense industry companies. 

Turkey has sought to cooperate with other countries on defense, rather than simply buying and selling products, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at the fair’s opening in May 5.   

In 2013, the IDEF hosted 794 companies and company representatives from 51 countries and 531 high-level foreign delegates responsible for their countries’ defense supplies. These foreign delegates included ministers, deputy ministers, chiefs of general staff, undersecretaries and assistants from 81 different countries and two international institutions. 

In addition, 54,210 domestic and foreign professionals from 111 countries visited the show.
Turkish defense producers aim to boost exports to $25 billion by 2023 from last year’s $1.6 billion, according to the SSM.