Is Turkey arming Egypt with $350M weapons and is Israel panicking?
The agreement was signed during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Cairo, where he met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Mogadishu (Somali Report) - Turkish arms supplier Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) has signed a $350 million export agreement with the Egyptian Ministry of Defence, marking a major step in Ankara-Cairo military cooperation.
The deal includes the sale of the Tolga Short-Range Air Defence System and the establishment of production lines in Egypt for various types of ammunition, sources familiar with the agreement told Middle East Eye.
The agreement was signed during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Cairo, where he met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Relations between the two countries had been strained since Sisi’s 2013 military takeover, but in 2023 Ankara and Cairo formally restored diplomatic ties, appointing ambassadors and gradually deepening cooperation on regional security.
Shared interests include Somalia, Sudan, and broader Middle East stability.
Under the deal, MKE will export the Tolga air defence system to Egypt for $130 million.
Designed to counter aerial threats such as drones, the system integrates command and control, radar, electro-optical systems, electronic jamming, and multiple weapon calibres.
The remaining $220 million will fund a 155mm long-range artillery ammunition factory and production facilities for 7.62mm and 12.7mm ammunition.
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A joint venture company will manage operations and boost Egypt’s regional export potential.
Founded in 1950, MKE has long been Turkey’s main supplier of weapons and ammunition.
The company modernised its infrastructure in 2021 and has expanded exports, including a recent sale of the Tolga system to Qatar.
The deal has drawn concern in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly raised alarms over Egypt’s growing military capabilities during a closed-door Knesset session.
Sources told Israel Hayom that Netanyahu described Egypt’s military expansion as “excessive” and urged close monitoring.
While Israel maintains a working relationship with Egypt, Netanyahu warned that the country’s accumulating military power must be carefully observed.
This comes as economic cooperation between Israel and Egypt continues.
Last December, the two countries signed a $35 billion natural gas agreement, the largest in Israel’s history, highlighting the complex balance between collaboration and security concerns.
The Turkish-Egyptian arms deal, paired with Netanyahu’s warning, underscores shifting Middle East dynamics, where military modernisation, economic partnerships, and regional rivalries intersect, creating a delicate security environment that Somalia and other neighboring states will watch closely.
About the Author
Osman Hassan is a Senior Editor at the Somali Report based in Nairobi with over 15 years of experience in journalism. He has worked with local and international media outlets in Somalia and is an award-winning journalist. His reporting focuses on politics, security, and regional affairs in the Horn of Africa.