Egypt has signed a $130 million deal with Turkey’s MKE to procure the TOLGA SHORAD system, strengthening its defenses against drones, cruise missiles, and other low-altitude threats. The agreement signals rising regional demand for modular air defense solutions focused on counter-UAS operations.
Egypt has signed a $130 million agreement to acquire the Turkish-developed TOLGA short-range air defense system, marking a significant step in strengthening its counter-drone and low-altitude air defense capabilities.
According to a statement from Turkish defense manufacturer Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE), the contract was finalized with Egypt’s Ministry of Defence and includes the delivery of the TOLGA SHORAD system, designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles, tactical drones, smart munitions, and cruise missiles.
MKE said the agreement highlights growing international interest in its air defense products and reflects the system’s competitiveness and operational effectiveness in modern combat environments.
The deal represents one of the largest recent exports of a Turkish counter-UAS solution and follows the system’s first confirmed international deployment in Qatar last month.
Developed in response to the increasing use of low-cost aerial threats on the battlefield, TOLGA is based on an “Effective, Simple, Affordable” concept intended to enable rapid deployment and flexible operational use.
The system integrates radar, command-and-control elements, electro-optical sensors, electronic warfare components, and multiple weapon systems into a modular structure capable of addressing a range of aerial threats.
TOLGA can neutralize targets using both electronic and kinetic methods. In soft-kill mode, hostile drones can be disrupted through electronic jamming at distances of up to 10 kilometers. For hard-kill operations, the system uses 12.7 mm, 20 mm, and 35 mm weapon systems produced by MKE, along with specialized anti-drone ammunition.
According to the manufacturer, the ammunition is designed to create a fragmentation effect around the target, improving the chances of destroying small and fast-moving drones. The 35 mm rounds are effective at ranges of up to 3,000 meters, the 20 mm ammunition up to 1,000 meters, and the 12.7 mm option up to 300 meters.
The TOLGA system can operate in manual, semi-autonomous, or fully autonomous modes depending on mission requirements. Its modular design allows deployment on fixed sites, mobile platforms, armored or unarmored vehicles, and naval platforms.
MKE stated that this flexibility has been a key factor in attracting international customers seeking layered air defense solutions against drones and low-flying threats without relying solely on costly missile interceptors.
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