Strong Demand for MKE TOLGA from Every Region: MKE General Manager İlhami Keleş

MKE, Türkiye’s state-owned defense company, is currently in discussions with potential customers from different regions for the MKE TOLGA Short-Range Air Defence System, says İlhami Keleş, General Manager. The system is now ready for serial production.

“In January and February this year, we signed agreements with Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia covering the joint production and export of MKE TOLGA and its technologies,” says Keleş in an interview. “Interest is not limited to the Gulf region; we are seeing strong demand from Europe, the Americas and Asia. Our teams continue discussions, and we will share further developments with the public in due course.”

Keleş, who assumed charge in 2023, introduced the “Effective–Simple–Affordable” approach for every high-technology product the company develops, a move that has paid rich dividends. He now oversees a major investment program that will help the company achieve significant capacity increases, by the end of this year, across various critical segments of the defence industry.

Please provide an update on the company’s ongoing US$1.5 billion investment program. When will the proposed new facilities at Kırıkkale, Kırşehir, and Samsun be operational?

As MKE, we have launched a strategic investment programme worth USD 1.5 billion covering the 2023–2027 period. In scope of this programme; we commissioned more than 350 new machines and over 30 production lines in 2025 alone, significantly increasing our manufacturing capacity in ammunition and weapon systems.

The establishment of our new facilities in Kırıkkale, Samsun and Kırşehir is ongoing. At our Hüseyin Kahya Energetic Materials Factory in Kırıkkale, we will produce a wide range of explosive raw materials, meeting both our internal requirements and the needs of friendly and allied countries.

What makes the MKE TOLGA Short-Range Air Defence System unique?

Across today’s operational environment, we are witnessing the widespread use of drones in conflict. Low-cost drones are capable of neutralising million-dollar assets such as tanks, aircraft and even naval platforms. However, in the current defence landscape, these cheap threats are often countered with highly costly systems. From a sustainability standpoint, this is not viable for most countries. If the attacking drone is low-cost, the system designed to neutralise it must also be “affordable”. This is precisely where the MKE TOLGA Short-Range Air Defence System distinguishes itself and draws attention.

When I assumed my role at MKE in 2023, I emphasised to my colleagues that every high-technology product we develop would follow the “Effective–Simple–Affordable” approach. Over the past three years, we have embedded this principle as a core culture within the company, and today every product we deliver is shaped by this vision.

MKE TOLGA has been developed by accurately assessing every parameter of the modern battlefield and applying this “Effective–Simple–Affordable” approach. This philosophy is the key factor that differentiates TOLGA from its counterparts. All development activities have been completed, and the system is now ready for serial production.

MKE TOLGA integrates 12.7 mm, 20 mm and 35 mm weapon systems; a range of anti-drone ammunition developed by MKE in various calibres; the GÖKBÖRÜ Radar; electro-optical sensors; and a soft-kill jammer system. All these components are available not only in fixed configurations but also as vehicle-mounted mobile systems. In this respect, TOLGA delivers a comprehensive solution encompassing soft-kill and hard-kill capabilities, supported by command and control, radar and electro-optical subsystems. Development is ongoing. The integration of an Acoustic System, a Laser Weapon System, and the ENFAL-17 missile will further enhance its multi-layered defence capability.

Does MKE currently have the production capacity needed to meet the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces and its international customers? What are some of the steps being taken to enhance capacity?

As MKE, we continue to strengthen our strategic infrastructure in line with Türkiye’s objective of full independence in defence industry production. This is the core purpose of our USD 1.5 billion investment programme: to deliver a substantial increase in capacity while building the capability to develop and manufacture advanced technologies.

With this comprehensive investment programme, by the end of 2026 we will achieve significant capacity increases across critical segments of the defence industry: Production capacity for 155 mm howitzer ammunition will increase by 5,400%; for the 76 mm DENİZHAN National Naval Gun 3by 500%; for artillery rockets and 2.75-inch rockets by 1,900%; for 60, 81 and 120 mm mortar ammunition by 300%; and for sniper cartridges by 455%.

Today, as MKE, we can confidently state that we possess the manufacturing infrastructure and engineering capability required to meet the needs of our armed forces, as well as those of friendly and allied countries.

The company has established ammunition production facilities in nine countries across the world. Do you expect MKE to improve its global footprint further over the next few years?

Since the 15th century, MKE has produced the weapons and systems required by the Turkish Armies under different names and organisational structures. When this historical depth is taken into account, it is clear that MKE occupies a unique position globally.

It is more appropriate to respond with concrete data. The investment plans we have implemented since I assumed office as General Manager have continued to deliver tangible results. Our turnover increased from USD 470 million in 2021 to USD 1.2 billion in 2024, representing nearly threefold growth. Over the same period, our exports rose from USD 40 million to USD 639 million. This financial momentum over the past three years marks the strongest growth performance in MKE’s history.

These achievements have also translated into international recognition, with MKE now ranked among the world’s top 100 defence companies. The company entered the Defence News Top 100 list for the first time in 2024 at 84th place, and in 2025 advanced four positions to become the world’s 80th largest defence company.

I believe that these results, achieved within a relatively short timeframe, will continue to scale, and that MKE will gain even greater global visibility in the near future.

The modern battlefield is overwhelmingly driven by technology. How proactive has MKE been in integrating new technologies into its legacy explosive and weapon systems?

We closely monitor developments on the battlefield as well as emerging technologies. To strengthen our R&D infrastructure, we have established three new research and development centres. By adopting an R&D approach focused not only on manufacturing products but on developing technology itself, we have evolved into a company capable of delivering original designs and systems through national engineering.

Within this framework, in 2025 we managed approximately 200 R&D projects concurrently, including 25 newly initiated projects, and allocated a substantial budget to research and development activities. We continue to advance our technologies through laboratories established within universities across different cities. Each of these developments will be announced to the public and the international community in due course.

What is the company’s view on technology transfer? Is MKE actively pursuing joint ventures with international partners?

To date, MKE has successfully exported its products to 105 countries across five continents. With our strong manufacturing infrastructure and longstanding experience, we remain ready to support friendly and allied nations.

In terms of technology transfer, in 2025 we completed and commissioned cartridge production lines in Mongolia and Jordan. We are currently engaged in ongoing discussions covering more than ten separate projects across nine countries.

Is the company highlighting any new products or capabilities at SAHA 2026?

At SAHA 2026, MKE will present more than 50 new products for the first time, including the ENFAL-17 Missile, Laser Weapon System, and Acoustic System, all designed to operate in the MKE TOLGA Short Range Air Defence System, the ATTİLA 155 mm Vehicle-Mounted Howitzer, the BOZKIR 120 mm Weapon System, URAN 105 mm Vehicle-Mounted Howitzer, MKE ALPAY-2 Minefield Breaching System, and the .300 calibre MKE BLK.

What are some of the major short-term and long-term goals of the company?

In addition to our ten factories, the establishment of new production facilities is currently underway. Once these new factories become operational, our manufacturing capacity will increase significantly, and we anticipate a parallel rise in our export volumes.

With our expanding production infrastructure, deepening R&D capabilities, and growing global presence, we are building a structure that not only meets today’s requirements but also shapes the future operational environment.