SAHA defense expo to host over 1,400 exhibitors this year

ISTANBUL

SAHA EXPO International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition to be held in Istanbul on Oct. 22-26 will host over 1,400 exhibitors, more than 500 official and commercial delegations and 150,000 visitors.

Some 25,000 B2B meetings and signing ceremonies will take place during the exhibition, the organizers of the event said, adding that an economic value of around $2 billion is targeted.

SAHA EXPO is organized every two years by SAHA Istanbul, the largest industrial cluster in Türkiye and Europe with more than 1,200 companies and 29 universities.

Serving as an international platform to showcase Türkiye's rising defense and aerospace production potential and independent production power, the exhibition presents many high-tech products of strategic importance in the defense, aerospace, maritime and space industries, some of which are being exhibited for the first time, according to the statement by the organizers.

SAHA EXPO 2022 attracted 78,643 visitors from 109 countries, 957 exhibitors including 390 international and 567 local companies, 268 official delegations, and 112 commercial delegations.

Thousands of B2B, G2B and G2G meetings and booth visits, nine international panels and three keynote speaker sessions, product launches by 281 companies and 114 signing ceremonies with a financial value of over $1 billion were held at the exhibition.

Türkiye has been working to position itself as a major player in the global defense industry. And these efforts are paying off.

The defense and aviation industry’s exports soared from only $248 million in 2022 to an all-time high of $5.55 billion last year.

Total turnover of the industry climbed from $1.1 billion to more than $12 billion.