Born in the Demirözü district of Bayburt in 1976, Salih AYHAN completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. He graduated from Uludağ University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Public Administration in 2000. He earned his Master’s degree in Sociology from Sivas Cumhuriyet University in 2013, focusing his thesis on the sociological impact of provincial administrations on public development. He is currently continuing his doctoral studies.

Mr. AYHAN began his career in 2004 as a Candidate District Governor and served as Acting District Governor in Çatalpınar and Yakakent. Throughout his tenure in the civil service, he served as District Governor (Kaymakam) in the districts of Azdavay, Altınyayla, and Divriği.

Between 2012 and 2016, he served as the Secretary General of the Sivas Special Provincial Administration (Deputy Governor). He gained significant experience in central administration as the Director General of Support Services at the Ministry of National Education (MEB) from 2016 to 2018. Subsequently, he elevated his career in provincial administration, serving as the Governor of Sivas (2018–2022) and the Governor of Şanlıurfa (2022–2023).

Committed to international administrative standards, Mr. AYHAN completed a nine-month professional and language training program at Middlesex University in London (2005–2006). He also participated in an intensive program on "Local Government Applications" in Australia in 2014. His professional portfolio includes official studies and technical visits to numerous countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Singapore, and Qatar.

As of November 2025, Salih AYHAN was appointed as the Deputy Minister of National Defense. In this capacity, he oversees the following directorates within the Ministry:

• General Directorate of Military Factories
• General Directorate of Shipyards
• General Directorate of Procurement Services
• General Directorate of Technical Services

Deputy Minister AYHAN is married with two children and is proficient in English.