SAHA EXPO Highlights Mass-Produced Autonomous Systems

Modern conflicts are accelerating a strategic pivot toward mass-produced autonomous systems and advanced counter-drone technologies development, a trend prominently featured at Türkiye's largest defense fair, SAHA EXPO, in Istanbul. The five-day event, which hosted over 1,500 exhibitors, underscored a clear industry shift away from costly, conventional platforms toward affordable, scalable, and combat-tested systems designed to offset high equipment losses seen in recent warfare.

The demand for expendable yet sophisticated assets is reshaping military procurement and doctrine. High attrition rates for traditional armor and aircraft have forced a re-evaluation of battlefield economics, pushing manufacturers to prioritize designs that can be produced quickly and in large numbers. This shift was the central theme at the SAHA EXPO, with Turkish defense firms leading the charge in developing next-generation unmanned platforms.

Key Systems on Display

Among the leading innovations was the Tekatron Palem unmanned vehicle, a Medium Class II tracked Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) currently in service with the Turkish Armed Forces. According to official specifications, the Palem features a 2,050 kg platform weight and a substantial 1,000 kg payload capacity, allowing it to be armed with anti-tank missiles and air defense systems. Its critical components are protected to NATO STANAG 4569 Level 2 standards, ensuring frontline survivability. Mert Nakisli, a technical leader at Tekatron, noted the industry's focus on cost-effective and scalable designs, revealing that the company is also developing a new wheeled UGV concept specifically for rapid mass production.

Another major highlight was the introduction of the Baykar Mosquito kamikaze drone, known locally as 'Sivrisinek'. This compact loitering munition from Baykar Technologies is engineered for mass production and features advanced AI-supported navigation. This system allows the drone to operate effectively in environments where Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals are jammed or unavailable, a critical capability in modern electronic warfare. According to a company press release, the Mosquito has an operational range exceeding 1,000 kilometers. Baykar Chairman Selcuk Bayraktar stated at the fair that autonomous systems are fundamentally reshaping the defense sector.

The Rise of Counter-Drone Technologies

Reflecting the dual nature of drone warfare, the development of systems to defeat hostile drones has become as critical as deploying them. Merve Sanli, business development manager at DASAL Aviation, emphasized that neutralizing enemy Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) threats is now a top priority. At the expo, DASAL introduced a new counter-UAS drone designed specifically to intercept and destroy other drones, addressing the proliferation of small, agile threats like First-Person View (FPV) drones.

Historical Precedents Driving Demand

The strategic shift highlighted at SAHA EXPO is not theoretical; it is a direct response to lessons learned from recent conflicts. The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict was a key catalyst, demonstrating how low-cost loitering munitions could decisively neutralize expensive, traditional armored vehicles. This event accelerated the global military pivot toward affordable autonomous systems.

More recently, the Russo-Ukrainian War has served as a real-world laboratory for drone and counter-drone tactics. The massive attrition of conventional equipment on both sides has led to the rapid, large-scale adoption of FPV drones and a corresponding arms race in counter-UAS and electronic warfare capabilities. This is the context driving the demand for the GNSS-independent, mass-producible systems showcased in Istanbul.

Technical Comparison: Baykar Sivrisinek vs. Shahed-131

Industry Impact and Ethical Questions

The pivot to autonomous systems has significant implications for the defense industry and international security. For traditional armor manufacturers, it signals a potential reduction in procurement priority as military budgets shift toward more expendable platforms. For providers of electronic warfare systems, the advent of AI-supported visual navigation presents a major challenge, as it bypasses traditional GNSS jamming techniques.

This proliferation also raises difficult questions. International arms control advocates express concern that mass-produced kamikaze drones lower the threshold for lethal conflict. Furthermore, as noted by human rights watchdogs, fully autonomous targeting capabilities in GPS-denied environments create ethical dilemmas regarding human-in-the-loop oversight.

What Comes Next

The technologies displayed at SAHA EXPO are moving rapidly toward deployment. Mass production scaling for Baykar's new systems, including the Mosquito, is expected to begin in late 2026. Similarly, the new counter-UAS systems developed by DASAL are expected to be deployed with the Turkish Armed Forces between 2026 and 2027, subject to final testing and procurement decisions.

Why This Matters

The trend toward low-cost, mass-produced autonomous systems represents a fundamental change in the nature of modern warfare. It alters military economics, making sophisticated standoff capabilities more accessible to a wider range of state and non-state actors. For the global defense industry, the ability to design for scalability and resilience in a contested electronic environment is no longer a niche capability but a core requirement for future relevance.