site.btaBulgaria Among 90-Plus Countries at 17th International Defence Industry Fair in Istanbul

The traditional International Defence Industry Fair IDEF-2025 opens on Tuesday at the Istanbul Expo Center. It is considered one of the world's largest defence fairs.

It is held under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency, and is hosted by the National Defence Ministry, with the support of the Defence Industry Agency under the management and responsibility of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will open the fair, said Haluk Gorgun, head of the Defence Industry Agency.

Gorgun told a news conference that this year, exhibitors and guests from 96 countries will participate in the fair, nearly twice as many as at the previous event. The booths stand on over 70,000 square metres of indoor space. He said the fair will be a significant event "where we will meet our own needs while also addressing the needs of friendly countries through new agreements and contracts, and build sustainable relationships".

In addition to the Istanbul Expo Center, exhibits will be displayed at the former Ataturk Airport and the Atakoy Marina on the Marmara Sea.

According to the IDEF-2025 press service, the exhibition will feature armoured combat vehicles, tactical armoured vehicles, unmanned ground, air and maritime vehicles, weapons systems, missiles, long-range anti-tank missile systems, infantry weapons, military simulators, electronic warfare solutions, power units, and explosive ordnance disposal equipment.

Over 1,400 companies have registered for participation. Some 900 of them are Turkish and more than 400 are foreign companies from 44 countries. Additionally, 219 delegations and 937 delegation members from 99 countries and international organizations will attend as government guests. For the first time, Turkiye's four major defence companies - ASELSAN, TUSAS, ROKETSAN, and HAVELSAN - will be showcased in separate halls, allowing for a more balanced distribution of visitors and delegations within the exhibition area.

Bulgaria is represented at the exhibition by several leading defence companies, including Arsenal 2000, EMCO, ERGLON Group, GreatBear Technology, OPTIX CO, TRANSMOBILE, and VMZ.

Over 400 defence companies from the United States, Europe, Asia, South Africa and Australia are among the participants. Numerous Chinese companies are taking part, ranking second in number only to the host country.

Among the global defence industry giants, only Russian firms have not registered to participate. Ukrainian companies are represented with their own booths.

Participating companies will showcase their products in themed halls. Special halls have been arranged for air, naval and land vehicles, electronic systems, security, ammunition and unmanned systems.

"At IDEF-2025, we will present and launch six new products that have reached the prototyping and initial testing stages through research and development projects. These new products will feature highly advanced technological capabilities and will stand out from competitors worldwide," said Murat Ikinci, General Manager of Turkiye's Roketsan, which test-fired Tayfun, the short-range ballistic missile, in February.

A Network Summit is planned to take place during the fair, bringing together representatives and delegations from participating companies.

IDEF-2025 will run through July 27. The first four days are dedicated to industry professionals, official meetings, business discussions and the signing of contracts. During the final two days, the fair will be open to the general public.