ISTANBUL, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- The fourth edition of Türkiye's flagship defense and aerospace exhibition, which began on Tuesday in Istanbul, has witnessed an outpouring of solidarity following a terror attack targeting a Turkish defense company.
Organized by SAHA Istanbul, the five-day Saha Expo Defense and Aerospace Exhibition attracted over 300 delegations from 120 countries, featuring more than 1,400 companies.
Among the exhibitors is the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), the producer of Türkiye's first national combat aircraft KAAN. In a terrorist attack on Wednesday, TUSAS was targeted in Ankara by two assailants, which resulted in five fatalities and 22 injuries.
Upon learning of the attack, the company's senior officials quickly left the expo for Ankara.
On Thursday, defense industry representatives, along with the Turkish ministers of defense and industry, gathered for a commemoration ceremony at TUSAS's stand. The venue was adorned with Turkish flags and large portraits of the employees who lost their lives in the attack.
Speaking at the ceremony, Defense Minister Yasar Guler condemned the attack, saying, "This heinous act reveals the deep concern of terrorists and their backers regarding our country's growing reputation in the domestic and national defense industry."
Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir echod this message, declaring, "We will not yield to terrorism. We will increase our production and elevate our deterrence capabilities to unprecedented levels."
Haluk Bayraktar, chairman of the board of SAHA Istanbul, reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to achieving a fully independent defense industry, highlighting the unity and determination of all stakeholders within SAHA Istanbul.
For Can Gur, chairman of the board of directors at Cenovate, a leading firm in the defense sector, the attack on TUSAS represents a challenge. "They want to discourage us from producing KAAN and excelling in this field. But by showcasing advanced technology, we are proving ourselves as strong competitors on the global stage," he told reporters.
On Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the expo, asserting that the terrorist attack would not deter the sector's growth or resilience.
"Any attack targeting the peace and security of our nation will ultimately fail and will eventually strike back at the terror barons that feed on blood," Erdogan said.
Türkiye's defense industry has achieved remarkable growth over the past decade, with defense exports rising from 1.2 billion dollars in 2012 to 5.5 billion dollars in 2023, according to the Turkish Presidential Defense Industries Agency. In 2023, Türkiye signed new contracts totaling 10.2 billion dollars. ■
