Erdogan uses jihadist figures and Ottoman symbolism to fuel his militarist propaganda

Levent Kenez/Stockholm

Turkey’s SAHA 2026 defense exhibition transformed last week into a political and ideological showcase when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used the event to promote the country’s expanding defense industry ahead of a possible new election cycle, while pro-government Islamist figures presented missile programs and air defense systems in explicitly religious terms.

Among the most visible visitors to the Istanbul exhibition center was İhsan Şenocak, a hard-line jihadi preacher and founder of the Center for Scientific and Intellectual Research (İFAM). Şenocak toured the defense stands while recording videos blending religious references, Ottoman imagery and military rhetoric with support for Turkey’s growing missile and drone programs.

Standing in front of the new Yıldırımhan ballistic missile exhibition, Şenocak described the project as a weapon that would “frighten the enemies of Allah” and said Muslims were religiously obligated to produce advanced weapons in every era. Referring to the missile’s claimed range of 6,000 kilometers, Şenocak linked the system to Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, known as Yıldırım Bayezid, and described the missile as a message to the “oppressed Muslims of Gaza in East Turkestan.”

In another video recorded at the exhibition, Şenocak praised Turkey’s air defense systems through religious references, saying the military technology was part of a divine mission to defend Jerusalem, Kashmir and other Muslim regions.

The videos circulated widely on pro-government social media accounts during the exhibition and reflected the increasingly religious and militarized language used by Islamist figures aligned with Erdogan’s political bloc.

Senocak has long supported Erdogan’s foreign and security policy agenda. In previous speeches and social media posts, he has called for military action against Israel, welcomed armed jihadist language and supported harsh repression after a coup attempt in 2016. Nordic Monitor has previously documented Şenocak’s calls to “decapitate traitors” and his close ties to Islamist organizations linked to pro-government networks in Turkey.

SAHA 2026 itself has become one of the largest defense exhibitions organized under Erdogan’s presidency. Turkish officials said more than 1,700 companies from 120 countries participated in the fair between May 5 and 9 at the Istanbul Exhibition Center. Erdogan attended the closing ceremony on May 8 and used the event to present Turkey’s defense industry as proof of national independence and technological progress.

In his speech, Erdogan praised domestic arms production, criticized former opponents of defense spending and said Turkey would continue to develop its military-industrial sector despite international pressure and embargoes. He also referred to opposition politicians who had previously criticized missile tests and defense spending.

Defense production has become one of Erdogan’s central political themes during election periods over the past decade. Military drones, naval programs, missile systems and fighter jet projects have repeatedly appeared in campaign speeches, state television broadcasts and rallies organized by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

This year’s exhibition focused heavily on the Yıldırımhan ballistic missile, billed as Turkey’s first intercontinental ballistic missile project. Turkish media and state-linked television channels described the missile as capable of traveling 6,000 kilometers at speeds reaching Mach 25. The missile was displayed with Ottoman symbols on one side and the signature of Turkey’s secular founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, on the other, reflecting an attempt to combine nationalist and conservative images into the same political narrative.

The project immediately became one of the most talked about items at the exhibition, in part because no publicly known flight tests or operational deployments were announced. Defense publications covering the exhibition reported that Turkish authorities presented a full-scale model and technical claims, but provided no public testing schedule, deployment schedule or operational details.

The Turkish Defense Ministry’s research center described the Yıldırımhan as a liquid-fueled missile powered by four rocket engines and capable of carrying a payload of up to three tons. However, official presentations have failed to confirm whether the missile exists beyond the concept or prototype stage.

The gap between state-backed publicity and the lack of confirmed operational steps became more visible during Erdogan’s own visit to the exhibition on May 8. Although Turkish state media and pro-government accounts devoted extensive coverage to Yıldırımhan throughout the week, Erdogan did not publicly mention the missile during his lengthy closing speech and did not visit the missile stand during the ceremonial tour of the exhibition halls.

The contrast drew attention because pro-government television channels had spent days touting the missile as a historic strategic breakthrough, while officials avoided publicly discussing the status of testing or deployment plans.

Özgür Özel, leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, the secular Republican People’s Party (CHP), also visited SAHA 2026 and posed for photos near exhibits bearing Atatürk’s signature, including the Yıldırımhan stand. Özel then praised Turkey’s national defense industry and said investments in military technology represented a national achievement rather than a partisan issue. Erdogan later mocked Özel’s previous criticism of defense spending during his own speech at the exhibition.

The online debate around the missile quickly moved beyond military capability to become political symbolism. Discussions on social media focused on the use of both Ottoman emblems and Atatürk’s signature on the body of the missile, a combination interpreted by many users as an attempt to simultaneously appeal to Islamist conservatives and secular nationalists.

This dual message appeared throughout the event in the exhibition halls. Islamist preachers cite Quranic verses in front of missile systems, while government officials describe defense exports as proof of technological sovereignty. Giant screens showed promotional videos of hypersonic missiles and drones while visitors queued for photos next to prototype fighter jets and mock-ups of ballistic missiles.

The exhibition also highlighted the contradictions in the Islamist rhetoric surrounding the fair. While pro-government preachers have repeatedly described Israel as a long-time enemy and called on Turkey to prepare militarily for future confrontation, they have made no public reference to the participation of defense companies linked to Israeli military supply chains.

Several SAHA 2026 exhibitors, including REPKON, BAE Systems, Leonardo and LBA Systems, faced protests from anti-Israel demonstrators during the exhibition due to their defense ties and military exports linked to Israel. Protesters briefly disrupted access to parts of the exhibition hall, leading organizers to temporarily suspend visitor entry before security restored access.

The show itself was organized by SAHA Istanbul, a platform created by Turkish defense contractors and headed by Haluk Bayraktar, the brother of drone manufacturer Selçuk Bayraktar, son-in-law of President Erdogan. Baykar, Turkey’s leading drone producer, controlled by the Bayraktar family, recently entered into a partnership agreement with Italian defense contractor Leonardo, which has supplied military equipment and technology used by Israel.

Despite protests and the participation of companies accused by demonstrators of contributing to Israel’s military capabilities, Islamist speakers visiting the show avoided directly criticizing exhibitors while continuing to present the Turkish defense industry through religious and anti-Israeli rhetoric.