Greek media warns, calls 'no ordinary': 'Türkiye was already there'
Milliyet AppUygulamayı AçWebWeb'de Devam Et ENGreek media warns, calls 'no ordinary': 'Türkiye was already there'NewsGreek Media Warns, Calls 'No Ordinary': 'Türkiye Was Already There'Greek media warns, calls 'no ordinary': 'Türkiye was already there'11.09.2026 - 22:33 | Last Updated: 11.09.2026 - 22:34
MİLLİYET.COM.TR / Türkiye’s push for autonomous systems in the defense industry has taken on a new dimension. At the El Alamein International Aviation Fair 2026 held in Egypt, HAVELSAN and the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AID) signed an agreement for the sale of the HAMZA-1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), developed through cooperation between the two countries. The agreement represents not only the sale of a single UAV but also a new step in the deepening strategic partnership between Türkiye and Egypt in the field of autonomous aerial systems.
This development, which serves as a continuation of the agreement signed last year—which envisaged the joint production in Egypt of autonomous UAVs capable of vertical takeoff and landing—was closely monitored on the opposite shore of the Aegean Sea as well. The HAMZA-1 agreement, which brings HAVELSAN’s technological and engineering expertise in autonomous systems to the international stage, set off alarm bells in Athens.
In a report titled “Critical Turning Point,” the Greek newspaper Ethnos stated, “Another step forward in the rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo. Turkish giant HAVELSAN has signed the ‘golden agreement’ with Egypt’s state-owned AID for the sale of the HAMZA-1 unmanned aerial vehicle.”
The article, which also highlighted the system’s features,noted, “This systemis capable ofverticaltakeoffandlanding, and was developed for artillery unitsto perform surveillance, reconnaissance, and target acquisition missionsthanks to a feature that allows it to operatewithout a runway. The first deliveries are expected in the near future,” the report noted.
The report also emphasized that this is no ordinary agreement, noting, “As part of broader cooperation between the two countries in the field of autonomous systems, HAVELSAN’s expertise in UAVs is being combined with Egypt’s production capacity. In other words, this goes beyond a mere sale,” the report noted.
Meanwhile, the report claims that the timing of the agreement is also quite significant, noting, “This agreement was announced just a few days after Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s visit to Cairo. While Athens was trying to make an effort not to lose Egypt and held talks involving Greece, the Greek Cypriot Administration, and Egypt, the Turks essentially said, ‘We were already here.’”
Finally, the report noted that a positive atmosphere has prevailed in bilateral relations between Türkiye and Egypt in recent years, stating, “In particular, the defense industry continues to be the area where rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo is progressing the fastest.”
The new sales agreement signed at the El Alamein International Aviation Fair demonstrated that another significant milestone had been reached in the HAMZA-1 program. Following joint production efforts between Türkiye and Egypt, the program has now moved into a direct commercial phase.
Following the sales agreement, deliveries of HAMZA-1 UAVs are expected to take place in the near future. With this development, the scope of defense technology cooperation between Türkiye and Egypt has expanded, while it also marks a new step in HAVELSAN’s international partnerships—which it has developed through a model of joint production and localization with various countries.
The HAMZA-1 program not only demonstrates the deepening defense industry ties between the two countries but also stands out as a notable example of Türkiye’s strategy to extend its expertise in autonomous systems to different markets through international partnerships.
