Karel, Türkiye’s  leading and pioneering technology company, offers the opportunity to invest in the growing technology market both locally and worldwide. With nearly 40 years of experience, it is among  Türkiye’s 100 most valuable brands and top 500 industrial enterprises.

 Karel is participating at the third edition of World Defense Show taking place in Riyadh on 08-12 February. Following is an interview with the company’s President on this occasion:

Al Defaiya: As a brand playing an active role in Türkiye’s defense industry ecosystem, you are participating in the World Defense Show 2026. What does the theme “The Future of Defense Integration,” which is the focus of this year’s fair, mean for Karel?

Bayiz: The future of defense is shaped by the ability of all elements in the field to communicate simultaneously, securely, and without interruption. Success in modern military operations is no longer measured solely by the performance of platforms, but by the speed, security, and integrity of the data flowing between these platforms.

We are talking about a multi-layered structure, from land vehicles to personnel level, from command and control elements to sensors and network infrastructure. The fundamental element that enables this structure to function as a “single organism” is the integrated communication architecture.

For Karel, the theme of “The Future of Defense Integration” means developing scalable and field-adaptable communications infrastructures capable of seamless integration across different platforms and unit levels. We offer solutions that bring every element in the field together under a single intelligent communications architecture, accelerating command and control processes and elevating situational awareness to the highest level.

Al Defaiya: Where do you position the WDS 2026 platform within this vision?

Bayiz: We define World Defense Show 2026 as a strategic platform for two reasons. The first is that it is an activity that translates Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals of localization, technology production, and sustainable capacity building in the defense industry into concrete partnerships. The second is that, in parallel with Saudi Arabia's increasingly critical position in the region in recent years, it has become an organization that brings together all institutions and organizations operating in the defense sector in other countries, thus offering a valuable opportunity to introduce our products and solutions to a wider audience. 

At Karel, we approach the solutions we showcase at the fair as a collaboration model that encompasses the entire life cycle, from design to development, production to field adaptation. This approach focuses on development in collaboration with local ecosystems and a long-term technology partnership perspective.

Sustainable and strategic success in defense technologies is only possible when engineering expertise, production capabilities, and a culture of co-development come together under one roof. We aim to leverage our 40 years of technology and R&D expertise to contribute to strengthening local capabilities as envisioned by Vision 2030, primarily targeting the Saudi Arabian market and other regional countries.

Al Defaiya: Among the products you are exhibiting at the fair, the 5G Private Mobile Network (COM-BAT) is quite eye-catching. What advantages does this solution offer in the modern tactical field?

Bayiz: In the modern tactical field, we are now in an era where milliseconds, not seconds, are decisive. Command and control, situational awareness, and decision-making speed are only possible with end-to-end integrated, high-capacity communications infrastructure. The integrated communications solutions Karel showcased at the World Defense Show 2026 offer a comprehensive architecture that directly addresses this need in the field.

COM-BAT 5G Private Mobile Network is at the heart of this architecture. With this solution, we provide armies with a communication infrastructure that can be rapidly deployed in different geographical areas, is completely private, closed-loop, and highly secure. Thanks to its portable and armored vehicle-integrated design, the network can be transported wherever the operation goes.

Voice and video communication, real-time data sharing, and applications requiring high bandwidth can be carried out seamlessly and securely via COM-BAT. While existing radio systems are integrated into this structure via network gateways, a multi-layered operational ecosystem is created with cameras, drones, personnel systems, and AI-supported modules.

As a result, COM-BAT becomes more than just a communication solution in the field; it becomes a strategic force multiplier that accelerates decision-making processes, strengthens coordination between units, and directly increases operational effectiveness.

Al Defaiya: So, how do the COM-LINE (In-Vehicle Communication Gateway) and MOBAT (Operational Headset) systems you exhibited at the fair complement this whole?

Bayiz: COM-LINE and MOBAT form the endpoints closest to the field in Karel's integrated communications architecture, directly affecting operations. COM-LINE combines different subsystems and devices operating with different protocols within military vehicles under a single secure communications backbone. This ensures uninterrupted data and voice flow between in-vehicle, inter-vehicle, and higher-level command elements.

Thanks to our proprietary software and user interfaces, COM-LINE can quickly adapt to dynamic tactical field conditions. The system goes beyond being merely an in-vehicle communication solution; it serves as a critical integration layer that enables the processing, sharing, and transfer of data from sensors to decision-making processes.

The personnel-level complement to this architecture is MOBAT. MOBAT is positioned as a system that increases the situational awareness of military personnel in the field and directly supports operational effectiveness. Thanks to active noise cancellation, situational awareness, and 3D audio technologies, users can accurately perceive their surroundings even in intense and complex combat environments.

MOBAT, fully integrated with COM-LINE and other Karel communication solutions, integrates personnel-level communication with vehicle, network, and command-and-control infrastructure. This creates a seamless, secure, and high-speed communication chain extending from individual elements in the field to the highest command level.

Al Defaiya: Karel is a brand that has been running projects on different platforms for many years. How does this engineering experience differentiate you in the field of integrated communications?

Bayiz: The key factor that differentiates Karel in the field of integrated communications is its multi-layered systems engineering experience gained over many years on different platforms. Serving as a system designer and integrator in projects for land, naval, and air platforms within the Türkiye’s defense industry ecosystem has given us a deep understanding of how communications are an integral part of platform architecture.

For a communications solution to work in harmony with the complex electronic infrastructure of armored vehicles, naval platforms, and different mission systems, it requires a holistic engineering approach at the platform level. All of the solutions we showcased at the World Defense Show 2026 are the real-world embodiment of this platform-independent and customized design approach.

Thanks to this engineering expertise, Karel can offer integrated communication systems that are customizable for armies with different geographies and operational structures, tested in field conditions, and proven to be reliable. What sets us apart in strategic markets like Saudi Arabia is our ability to develop solutions that adapt to local needs, are scalable, and open to long-term partnerships.