Türkiye’s MKE and Egypt Agree to Pursue Joint Defense Production
Türkiye’s Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi and Egypt’s Ministry of Military Production have signed a memorandum covering the joint development and manufacture of explosives and other defense products. The parties plan to pursue further cooperation during the El Alamein International Airshow 2026 in Egypt.
MKE and Egyptian ministry sign production memorandum
Türkiye’s state-owned defense manufacturer Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi, or MKE, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Military Production of the Arab Republic of Egypt to expand bilateral defense-industry cooperation.
The agreement covers the joint development and production of various defense products, with explosives identified as a principal area of cooperation. The available announcements did not disclose prospective investment, production capacity, plant locations, ownership arrangements or a timetable for beginning manufacturing.
According to Haber.com, the memorandum is intended both to deepen existing relations and to open new areas of joint work. Star reported that the arrangement is designed to move the parties toward common production and product-development activities rather than limiting their relationship to the sale of finished equipment.
Agreement signed at inaugural Balkan Kalkanı fair
The memorandum was concluded during Balkan Kalkanı, a defense exhibition held for the first time in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Haber.com, Star and Hürriyet reported that it was the first agreement signed at the fair.
The signing took place under the supervision of Turkish Deputy Minister of National Defense Salih Ayhan and Egyptian Minister of Military Production Major General Salah Soliman Gomblat. MKE General Manager İlhami Keleş signed for the Turkish company, while General Hesham Madkour Dakrouri, general manager for chemical industries at Egypt’s Ministry of Military Production, signed for the Egyptian side.
The participation of officials responsible for chemical industries is consistent with the memorandum’s initial emphasis on explosives. However, the parties have not identified particular explosive formulations, ammunition categories, production lines or end users. They also have not said whether any resulting output would be reserved for the Turkish and Egyptian markets or made available to customers in other countries.
Industrial details remain to be negotiated
The memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation, but the reports do not describe it as a binding production contract. Important commercial and industrial questions therefore remain open, including how technology and engineering work would be divided, where manufacturing would take place and which party would supply critical inputs.
For defense-sector suppliers, the next stage will determine whether the initiative creates new demand for chemical feedstocks, production machinery, safety systems, testing equipment and specialized components. Any cross-border production structure could also require coordination on licensing, technical standards, quality control and the handling of controlled materials. No regulatory approvals or export arrangements were specified in the source material.
Joint development could connect MKE’s manufacturing capabilities with Egypt’s state-controlled military production base. The practical effect on industrial supply chains will depend on whether the memorandum advances into defined projects with allocated budgets, facilities and delivery schedules. Until those details emerge, the agreement signals political and industrial intent but does not establish measurable new capacity.
El Alamein air show set as next milestone
The parties intend to pursue additional steps at the El Alamein International Airshow 2026 in Egypt. Haber.com gives the event dates as 8-10 September 2026, while Star and Hürriyet state that the air show will take place from 8 to 10 September.
MKE and the Egyptian delegations are continuing work aimed at broadening the partnership before that event, according to Haber.com. The air show may provide the next indication of whether the framework will produce specific manufacturing programs, additional agreements or a clearer division of industrial responsibilities.
For producers and investors, the most consequential disclosures would be the location and scale of any production facilities, the products selected for initial development and the procurement commitments supporting them. Importers and exporters will also need clarity on whether the partnership is intended primarily to substitute domestic production for imported defense materials or to establish an export-oriented manufacturing base.
