Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi, known as MKE, has signed an important agreement with Hungary-based HT Division for the integration of the MKE TOLGA Close Air Defense System into unmanned ground vehicles. The memorandum of understanding was signed during SAHA 2026 International Defense, Aerospace and Space Industry Fair, marking a notable step in adapting Turkish close air defense solutions to different land platforms. The agreement will pave the way for joint studies aimed at meeting the changing requirements of the modern battlefield.

Under the agreement, the TOLGA system will be integrated into unmanned ground vehicles developed by HT Division. This will allow TOLGA’s close air defense capabilities to be deployed through a more flexible and risk-reducing mission architecture. As kamikaze UAVs, small drones and low-altitude aerial threats become increasingly serious risks on the modern battlefield, combining air defense systems with unmanned ground vehicles is expected to provide major advantages in personnel safety and operational continuity.

MKE General Manager İlhami Keleş stated during the signing ceremony that the TOLGA system has attracted strong interest since its launch. He noted that the system stands out with its comprehensive concept and ability to provide cost-effective solutions. Keleş also said that TOLGA is being evaluated to meet the needs of the Turkish Land Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces, with the process being managed together with the Presidency of Defense Industries. This indicates that the system is positioned to serve not only a single branch, but also a joint operational structure.

TOLGA has also drawn significant interest from abroad. Keleş stated that MKE is currently engaged with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar regarding the system, and that Hungary has now been added as a new cooperation area. According to Keleş, one notable aspect of the Hungary case is that HT Division is a Turkish company based in Hungary and established under local commercial law. Through cooperation with this company, MKE aims to integrate TOLGA components and turrets into unmanned ground vehicles and jointly address the international market.

One of the concrete outputs of the agreement is planned to be displayed at the Eurosatory Fair in June. The 20 mm TOLGA Weapon System and turret are expected to be integrated into an HT Division unmanned ground vehicle and exhibited at the fair. This demonstration will provide an important opportunity to present TOLGA’s compatibility with unmanned ground platforms to the international defense community. It may also strengthen export and joint production opportunities by showing the system’s potential for integration into different platforms.

The integration of TOLGA into unmanned ground vehicles will create a new operational use case in the close air defense concept. Unmanned ground vehicles allow missions to be carried out in high-risk areas without exposing personnel directly to threats. When equipped with air defense systems, these platforms can provide rapid response against low-altitude threats on forward lines. This architecture could serve as a force multiplier in missions such as base defense, convoy protection, critical facility security and the protection of forward-deployed units against aerial threats.

The agreement signed between MKE and HT Division at SAHA 2026 demonstrates the flexibility of the Turkish defense industry in platform-system integration and its export-oriented cooperation approach. Adapting TOLGA to different land platforms, especially unmanned systems, shows that Türkiye is developing close air defense solutions in line with the evolving threat environment. This step is expected to meet the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces while opening the door to new highly competitive solutions in the international market.