Aksaray Science Festival highlights Turkish defence tech and AI innovations

The fourth Aksaray Science Festival (BilimFest) opened with a display by Turkish Air Force F‑16s and a Jandarma rifle‑drill show. The three‑day event, running until 21 June, features more than 70 public and private organisations and around 200 exhibition tents.

Visitors can see locally developed defence systems such as the Hisar missile and the Sungur unmanned aerial vehicle, alongside autonomous ground vehicles, simulators, robotics, space‑technology exhibits and artificial‑intelligence projects. Mayor Evren Dinçer and Governor Murat Duru stressed the festival’s role in promoting the national “Milli Teknoloji Hamlesi” and praised the high localisation rate – about 80% – in Turkey’s defence industry. MPs highlighted how the country now produces its own tanks, helicopters, ships, drones and missiles, and expressed confidence that the youth‑focused festival will inspire future innovators.

The programme includes hundreds of activities for all age groups, aiming to boost public interest in science and technology and to showcase Turkey’s growing self‑reliance in high‑tech sectors.