HAVELSAN, a leading Turkish defence company, is making its presence felt in the African markets with its innovative and cutting-edge products and solutions. The company is participating in the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) 2023, one of the largest defence fairs in the region, to showcase its capabilities and seek new opportunities for collaboration.
The highlight of the show from Havelsan’s portfolio is the ADVANT Combat Management System. Apart from this system, Havelsan also showcased its globally renowned “Digital Troops Concept“. Digital Troops is a concept where unmanned systems and soldiers can work together on battlefields.
The battlefields of the future will have an important place in terms of being areas where soldiers and robots exist together. The command centre will be able to make the management of the battlefield and strategic decisions in this field more accurately, thanks to the information they receive from the Digital Troops in the battlefield.
HAVELSAN’s Products and Solutions
HAVELSAN is a software-based company that specializes in defence, simulation, autonomous platform management, and information and communication technologies. The company has a wide range of products and solutions for various domains and platforms, such as:
- ADVENT: A modular and scalable air defence system that integrates sensors, weapons, and command and control systems to provide effective protection against aerial threats.
- BAHA: A naval combat management system that enables situational awareness, decision support, and weapon control for surface and submarine platforms.
- BARKAN: A land command and control system that supports joint operations, planning, execution, and monitoring of land forces.
- SANCAR: A secure and interoperable communication system that provides voice, data, and video services for military and civil users.
- Simulators: HAVELSAN develops and produces high-fidelity simulators for various platforms, such as aircraft, helicopters, ships, submarines, tanks, and drones. The company also provides simulation software and services for civil aviation, such as Airbus and Boeing aeroplanes.
- Autonomous Systems: HAVELSAN is investing in the future of warfare with its autonomous systems, such as vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). The company also develops swarm technologies and networked systems that enable coordinated and intelligent operations.
Information and Communication Technologies: HAVELSAN provides enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, operation centres, and integrated border security systems for military and civil applications. The company also offers cyber security, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence solutions.
HAVELSAN’s Presence in Africa
HAVELSAN has been operating in more than 20 countries around the world, where its products and solutions have been deployed and proven in combat. The company is expanding its footprint in Africa, where it sees a growing demand for defence and security solutions.
At the EDEX 2023, the company is hosting its visitors at booth number D70 in Hall 4 and holding various meetings with potential customers and partners. HAVELSAN is displaying some of its systems, such as ADVENT, BAHA, BARKAN, and SANCAR, as well as some of its simulators.
HAVELSAN’s Vice President of International Business Development and Marketing, Şevket Ünal, said that the company is aiming to increase its market share and visibility in Africa. He said that HAVELSAN is open to discussing collaboration and technology transfer opportunities with African countries that are willing to invest in their own research and development (R&D) and increase their competence and experience levels.
Ünal also said that HAVELSAN is looking at the future and continuously investing in autonomous systems, which are the future of warfare. He said that HAVELSAN is ready to offer its solutions for the emerging challenges and threats in the region, such as coastal and land surveillance and control.
In August, Havelsan announced that it had exported its Sub-Cloud Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) BAHA to an undisclosed African country. BAHA is a small, fixed-wing UAV that is designed for tactical-level reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence missions. It is equipped with a variety of sensors, including a camera and a thermal imager, and it can be used to gather information about the surrounding area.
However, HAVELSAN did not reveal the name of the country to which BAHA will be exported, the contract’s cost, the number of unmanned aerial vehicles included, or the delivery schedule. But, Nigerian sources revealed the system as part of the $36.5m Project carried out by ASISGUARD for the MOD.
The company exhibited its Ground, Naval, and Aerial solutions for the African continent’s defence and security forces at the Africa Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, which was held in Pretoria, South Africa on September 21-25, 2022. According to the company’s statement at the time, many African countries, including Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, and South Africa, expressed interest in the BAHA drone displayed at the fair.
Recently at the IDEF 2023, 16th International Defence Industry Fair in Turkey, Asisguard inked a strategic cooperation agreement with Nurol Makina and Havelsan intended to actualise the scope of the contract signed by the Nigerian MOD and the consortium of Turkish defence companies led by Asisguard. Nurol Makina will supply its Yörük 4×4 tactical vehicle.
In January 2022, Nigeria and Turkey entered talks on defence collaboration in counter-terrorism support as well as the acquisition of various military hardware which may include attack helicopters, armed drones, and other infantry systems.
At the meeting, leading Turkish defence companies pitched their hardware to the Nigerian military leadership in a bid to make some sales including TUSAŞ, OTOKAR, Roketsan, BMC, Tais Shipyard, Katmerciler, ASELSAN, TAI and 10 others.