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EDGE of UAE and Baykar of Türkiye Sign a Cooperation Agreement at SAHA Expo 2024
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SAHA EXPO 2024 is Türkiye’s premier defense and aerospace event is being organized by the Istanbul Defense and Aerospace Cluster Association (SAHA) at the Istanbul Expo Center, from October 22 to 26 2024.
By: Muhammad Arif, Editor NSN.Asia
Istanbul: The UAE’s EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defense groups and Baykar, Türkiye’s global leader in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and artificial intelligence technology, have signed a cooperation agreement to expand business opportunities.
The partnership was formalized by Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO of EDGE, and Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of Baykar, during SAHA Expo 2024 held at the Istanbul Expo Center.
The cooperation agreement establishes a framework to bolster ties, enhance capabilities, and expand market reach for both companies.
Under the agreement, the cooperation will focus on integrating EDGE’s guided munitions and payloads onto Baykar’s advanced UAS platforms, with Baykar leading the integration efforts. EDGE will provide technical assistance, such as designing, manufacturing, and supporting the necessary equipment for successful integration.
This initiative seeks to meet the emerging market demand swiftly and effectively, ensuring supply chain security and delivering high-performance solutions for their customers.
“This agreement with Baykar represents a significant milestone in further strengthening our established collaboration. By integrating our advanced solutions onto Baykar’s proven UAS platforms, we can respond swiftly to evolving market demands while further enhancing the capabilities we deliver to our customers. Additionally, this partnership underscores the strategic importance of working with Türkiye’s well-established companies and leveraging its robust defense ecosystem. Together, we are reinforcing our commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology with agility, efficiency, and innovation, while ensuring secure and resilient supply chains.” Stated, Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO – EDGE Group.
Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of Baykar, stated that, “Today, alongside the CEO of EDGE, one of the largest defense organizations in the UAE and one of the top 30 in the world, we signed an agreement between BAYKAR and EDGE to integrate EDGE-developed smart munitions into our platforms and for joint cooperation. In recent years, the UAE and Türkiye have built significant defense relations, with the UAE being Türkiye’s largest trade partner in the Middle East. I would like to extend my gratitude for this agreement, with the hope that it will contribute to the independence and security of both nations.”
Under the terms of the agreement, the cooperation will center on integrating EDGE’s guided munitions and payloads onto Baykar’s advanced UAS platforms, with Baykar leading the integration efforts.
EDGE will provide technical assistance, including designing, manufacturing, and supporting the necessary equipment for successful integration. This initiative aims to meet market demand swiftly and effectively, ensuring supply chain security and delivering high-performance solutions for their customers.
SAHAEXPO 2024 brings the power of Türkiye on the world stage along with the Europe’s largest defense, aerospace, and space exhibition. The event showcases next-generation domestic and national defense technologies.
Over 1,400 companies, over 150,000 visitors are attending the SAHA EXPO 2024, Türkiye’s premier defense and aerospace event, being organized by the Istanbul Defense and Aerospace Cluster Association (SAHA) at the Istanbul Expo Center, from October 22 to 26 2024.
The five-day SAHA EXPO 2024 showcases cutting-edge defense technologies from Türkiye and 120 foreign nations, with 1,478 companies participating. This includes 178 foreign procurement delegates and 312 officials, among them 25 government ministers.
The expo is expected to generate more than $2 billion in contracts and agreements, with over 200 signing ceremonies and the unveiling of 300 new products.
SAHA EXPO 2024 introduces new cybersecurity and artificial intelligence pavilions and features public participation days to enhance accessibility and engagement with the broader community.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of SAHA EXPO 2024, Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır emphasized the rapid growth in global defense spending, which surged from $1.75 trillion in 2022 to $2.45 trillion in 2023.
“As a country positioned at the crossroads of the world’s most intense crises and conflicts, Türkiye cannot remain indifferent to this reality,” Kacır said, stressing the critical importance of developing national and indigenous defense technologies.
Minister also highlighted the remarkable expansion of Türkiye’s defense projects, which have grown from just 62 projects in 2002 to over 1,000 today.
Since 2002, Türkiye has issued incentive certificates for 883 defense-related investments, enabling fixed investments worth 128 billion Turkish liras ($11.96 billion). During this period, the USD/TRY exchange rate averaged 10.7.
Kacır described Türkiye’s domestic defense industry as a game-changer, citing advances across a wide range of sectors, including air, naval, land vehicles, and space systems. He underscored the country’s ambition to become a global leader in these critical technologies.
“With over 3,500 companies and more than 90,000 skilled professionals in its value chain, our defense industry is achieving new milestones daily,” Kacır added.
He also highlighted the importance of collaboration within Türkiye’s defense ecosystem: “Strong cooperation between ecosystem players, combined with international quality production and innovative R&D, enables successful defense solutions that meet the needs not only of Türkiye but also of friendly and allied nations.”
