Türkiye and Egypt unveil jointly developed unmanned vehicles at Cairo fair

Türkiye and Egypt have showcased the first fruits of their deepening defense industry cooperation with the unveiling of two jointly developed unmanned platforms at the EDEX 2025 defense fair in Cairo. Turkish technology firm Havelsan, partnering with Egypt's state-owned Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI), introduced the Aqrab unmanned ground vehicle and the Hamza-1 vertical takeoff and landing drone, drawing significant attention from regional delegations and a visit from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Details of the New Platforms

The Aqrab is a 6x6 unmanned ground vehicle designed to operate in desert conditions and capable of carrying a remote-controlled weapon system, offering a new capability previously unavailable in Egypt's inventory. The Hamza-1 drone was highlighted as a standout innovation at the AOI booth. Both platforms represent a collaborative model where Havelsan contributes expertise in command-and-control, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems, while production is localized in Egypt.

Strategic Vision and Regional Ambitions

Havelsan's Vice President for International Business Development, Sevket Unal, told Anadolu that the projects are tailored to Egypt's operational environment and represent a gateway to broader African markets. "We see Egypt as a gateway to Africa. We anticipate that the products developed here will also be offered to countries in the region," Unal stated. Following the fair, field demonstrations for end-users are planned to gather feedback for further development before the platforms enter active duty.

Context of Bilateral Relations and Defense Diplomacy

The collaboration underscores the rapid normalization and strategic partnership between Ankara and Cairo, extending beyond diplomacy into concrete industrial co-production. The unveiling at a major regional defense exhibition signals both nations' intent to position themselves as leaders in autonomous systems and to leverage their partnership for greater influence in African and Middle Eastern defense markets. The move also reflects Türkiye's strategy of expanding its defense exports through local partnerships and technology transfer.