Eurosatory 2026: why Türkiye now sits at the heart of global defense
By Axel AK — founder of Plotus · June 2026
Eurosatory 2026 just closed its doors. And one thing is now clear: in defense, technology is no longer a luxury. It's the core of the business.
These days, from one world to the next, only the bodywork and the packaging change. The technology underneath stays the same. That Renault Austral in Alpine trim you see at the dealership? There's an armored, camouflaged version of it. The precision rifle on the shooting range? There's a close-protection version. The tires on a Formula 1 car? There's a battlefield version.
The sector is doing well. Very well. And in the middle of this edition, one presence had become impossible to overlook: Türkiye. Here's what I saw — and what it changes for French companies.
Eurosatory, the largest defense show in the world
Eurosatory is the world's largest trade show dedicated to land and airland defense and security. It all started in 1967, as a simple demonstration by the French army at the Satory camp. In 1992 the show went European — which is where the "Euro" in Eurosatory comes from. Today, it has gone global.
The 2026 edition ran from June 15 to 19 at Paris-Nord Villepinte. The organizers billed it as the most ambitious in the show's history: an extra exhibition hall, more than 185,000 m² of floor space, and over 2,500 exhibitors from more than 65 countries. The backdrop is plain — rearmament, the return of high-intensity war to Europe, an accelerating technology race. The show has never been more central.
Türkiye is no longer a guest
It helps to remember where this started. Türkiye set up its first national pavilion at Eurosatory in 2012. Thirteen years later, the balance has shifted.
In 2026, 58 Turkish companies and institutions were present — from prime contractors down to specialized suppliers. Leading the way: Aselsan, today one of the largest defense companies in Europe, which showed components of its Çelik Kubbe ("Steel Dome") air-defense architecture in Hall 6. Türkiye is no longer making up the numbers. It exhibits, it signs deals, it carries weight.
The official sponsors wall at Eurosatory 2026: Aselsan right at the top. A small detail that says a lot.
Turkish brands, segment by segment
This is where it gets real for a French company. Here, segment by segment, is the ecosystem we track day to day.
Ammunition and production lines
On small-arms ammunition, ZSR (ZSR Patlayıcı Sanayi) covers pistol and rifle calibers to NATO standards — from 9 mm to 12.7 mm — and exports worldwide. They sell ammunition only, not weapons: every order is a matter of permits and security measures.
MKE's cartridge range on display: from 9 mm to 12.7 mm, pistol and rifle calibers to NATO standards.
To move from buying to producing, two names. Ateşçi, based in Ankara, designs turnkey cartridge production lines, precision machinery, and the related tooling. And Yılmaz Savunma, with more than forty years in metal forming, builds the machines that produce small-arms ammunition — cases, projectiles, primers. Three complementary links in the chain: one makes the ammunition, the other two make the lines that manufacture it.
At the Ateşçi stand: the upstream end of the chain, where cartridge production lines are built.
Weapons and systems
The standout is Canik (SYS Group), on two fronts. On the sport-shooting side: one of the best-selling Turkish pistol families in the world, present in more than 180 countries and proven on NATO trials — accurate, competitive. On the defense side: through its subsidiary AEI Systems, one of only three global manufacturers of medium-caliber cannons, a 30 mm gun — the VENOM LR — designed for all three domains: land, air, and sea.
MKE, the historic state-owned manufacturer, rounds out the picture: weapons, ammunition, and artillery up to 155 mm — a broad range, a good part of it consumable and needing constant replenishment. MKE also builds turnkey ammunition plants abroad (Kosovo, Jordan, Mongolia) and is gaining ground across Eastern European markets.
From the 5.56 assault rifle to the 12.7 precision rifle and the grenade launcher: the depth of the Turkish range, on a single wall.
Vehicles and platforms
On armored vehicles, Otokar — a Koç Group company — held a prime stand, with its iconic family: ARMA, Cobra II, Tulpar and Alpar, plus its Mızrak turrets. More than 33,000 of the brand's military vehicles are in service in over 40 countries.
The Otokar stand and its Cobra II vehicles: 60 years in the business, more than 33,000 vehicles in service worldwide.
Materials and upstream
Further upstream, Green Al Metalurji, a young Turkish company specialized in high-purity aluminum powders — including powders for additive manufacturing. An emerging player worth watching closely.
Technology
And all around them, Turkish technology firms — electronic intelligence, communications, mission-critical services in the field — were squarely in the spirit of this edition. It has become the sinew of war, in the most literal sense.
Nobody ever wanted to get here. But as the saying goes: si vis pacem, para bellum.
Where Plotus fits in
Between a Turkish brand and a French partner, what's missing is rarely a product. What's missing is a bridge.
That's where Plotus stands. Not to deliver one more report, but to connect the right players on both sides. From sport shooting to strategic, from ammunition to armored vehicles, our network covers the chain. We don't name names: we respect serious files. And we stay on the ground, all the way through to execution.
These days, a report gathers dust. A solid network gets deals done.
Working with Turkish brands from France
You're in France and you want to build a lasting relationship with a Turkish brand — distribution, sourcing, setting up a presence?
Plotus opens its network to you and works alongside you on the ground. No imposed minimum order, no forced exclusivity: you keep your customers, we build the bridge, with the marketing handled locally. And we offer this service for free — because these days advice is worth little; what counts is a solid network.
Let's talk.
FAQ
When did Eurosatory 2026 take place?
From June 15 to 19, 2026, at the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition center.
How many Turkish companies were present at Eurosatory 2026?
58 Turkish companies and institutions, led by Aselsan.
Which Turkish arms and ammunition brands should you know?
Canik (sport pistols and a 30 mm cannon), MKE, ZSR, Ateşçi and Yılmaz Savunma on ammunition and production lines, Otokar on armored vehicles, Green Al Metalurji on materials.
How can a French company work with a Turkish brand?
By relying on an intermediary who knows both markets. Plotus opens its network and works on the ground, with no minimum order and no imposed exclusivity.
Do you need permits to import ammunition or weapons from Türkiye?
Yes. This trade is strictly governed by licenses and authorizations. Plotus points you to the right framework.
