Part of the signing ceremony. Photo courtesy of Egyptian cabinet.
The agreement, signed at Bosnia and Herzegovina’s inaugural First Balkan Shield expo, brings together two of Egypt’s largest state-run defence manufacturers and Turkey’s leading mechanical and chemical producer.
Minister of State for Military Production Salah Soliman Gomblat said the deal implements President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s directives to build strategic partnerships with friendly countries and expand Egypt’s defence-industrial base.
Gomblat witnessed the signing alongside Turkey’s deputy defence minister.
The memorandum was signed by Heliopolis Company for Chemical Industries (Military Factory 81) and Helwan Company for Engineering Industries (Military Factory 99), both affiliated with the Ministry of Military Production, with Turkey’s Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE).
The ceremony took place at the First Balkan Shield Industrial Expo and Summit 2026, running from Tuesday to Friday in Sarajevo. It is Bosnia and Herzegovina's first international defence industry exhibition.
The signing “reflects the ministry’s interest in opening new opportunities for industrial partnership” between its affiliated companies and their Turkish counterparts, Gomblat said, citing the advanced capabilities of defence companies on both sides.
He said the cooperation would help the two sides exchange technical and technological expertise and make better use of their manufacturing capacities.
Turkey’s deputy defence minister said bilateral relations continue to develop, with both sides working to advance cooperation “in a way that achieves shared interests.”
He praised progress in Egypt's defence industries. He described Turkey as one of the world's leading nations in defence manufacturing, adding that Ankara is keen to deepen ties with friendly countries.
The MoU comes as Egypt’s Ministry of Military Production works to expand local manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports. Gomblat said in July that developing the country’s ammunition production system was a “key priority” as the ministry makes better use of its industrial and technological capabilities.
Wednesday’s signing builds on a rapidly expanding defence relationship between Cairo and Ankara. Turkish officials brought 81 defence companies to Cairo for Egypt’s EDEX 2025 exhibition last December, when the two sides agreed to exchange technical delegations and explore new manufacturing partnerships.
Chiefs of staff from both countries' armed forces co-chaired the fifth Military Cooperation Committee meeting in Cairo in June, signing a protocol to support joint training and the exchange of military expertise.
Egyptian and Turkish air forces, joined by Azerbaijani and NATO units, concluded the joint Anatolian Eagle 2026 exercise at a Turkish air base in July, practising strike missions, aerial refuelling, and counter-drone operations.
Egypt's Commander-in-Chief and Defence Minister Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher led a delegation to Turkey in July for talks on expanding military cooperation between the two armed forces.
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