MKE unveils Tolga air defense system integrated on Katica UGV at Eurosatory 2026.

Turkish defense company MKE unveiled a new configuration of its Tolga short-range air defense system integrated onto HT Division's Katica 6×6 unmanned ground vehicle at the Eurosatory 2026 defense exhibition in Paris. The integration operationalizes a bilateral Turkish-Hungarian technological cooperation agreement signed earlier in 2026 to transition the Tolga from fixed installations and manned platforms onto an autonomous robotic carrier. This mobile deployment model is designed to provide continuous, frontline counter-UAS protection for maneuvering tactical formations against low-cost aerial threats without relying on expensive missile interceptors.

The integrated system utilizes a 118 kg Tolga 20×102 mm revolver cannon capable of firing up to 1,500 rounds per minute and projecting specialized pyrotechnic delay fragmentation ammunition across an effective 1,000-meter engagement envelope. Target tracking and sensor fusion are managed by the Gökbörü X-band FMCW AESA radar network, which can detect tactical UAVs beyond 8 kilometers and track up to 100 targets simultaneously to defeat coordinated saturation attacks.

Related topic: Türkiye and Hungary join forces to develop Tolga counter-drone UGV for future warfare

MKE unveiled a new configuration of its Tolga short-range air defense system integrated onto HT Division's Katica 6×6 unmanned ground vehicle at Eurosatory 2026, as part of a technological cooperation agreement signed earlier in 2026. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

On June 15, 2026, MKE unveiled a new configuration of its Tolga short-range air defense system integrated onto HT Division's Katica 6×6 unmanned ground vehicle during the Eurosatory 2026 defense exhibition in Paris, concluding a Turkish-Hungarian cooperation effort initiated under a bilateral agreement signed earlier in 2026. The Tolga had previously been configured for fixed installations and manned tactical vehicles; mounting the system on the Katica UGV transforms it into a mobile robotic air defense asset that can move with frontline formations rather than protecting only fixed locations.

This new variant comes as armed forces increasingly seek new methods to counter large numbers of FPV drones, quadcopters, loitering munitions, and tactical UAVs without relying exclusively on expensive missile interceptors. By combining autonomous mobility, electronic warfare, and gun-based interception, the Tolga-Katica air defense system addresses an evolving battlefield environment in which low-cost aerial systems routinely operate within a few kilometers of maneuver forces, logistics nodes, and command elements. The underlying purpose of MKE's Tolga has remained unchanged since its introduction: to create a layered short-range air defense system capable of engaging drones, loitering munitions, smart munitions, and cruise missiles through a combination of soft-kill and hard-kill effects.

What changes with the Katica is the employment model. Conventional counter-UAS systems deployed in fixed positions are constrained by terrain, line-of-sight limitations, and the need to anticipate likely attack directions. A mobile unmanned carrier allows the entire sensor-to-shooter chain to be repositioned as units maneuver, potentially reducing coverage gaps that emerge during offensive or defensive operations. Instead of placing air defense crews in forward positions, weapon control, surveillance, and engagement functions can be conducted remotely while the vehicle remains closer to the threat axis. This approach mirrors a broader trend toward distributing air defense capabilities across multiple smaller and more mobile nodes rather than concentrating them within a limited number of crewed vehicles. 

The weapon selected for the integration is the 20×102 mm Tolga Revolver Weapon System. The gun itself weighs 118 kg, excluding turret integration, and uses a gas-operated revolver mechanism chambered for NATO-standard 20×102 mm ammunition. Rate of fire is adjustable from single-shot operation to 1,500 rounds per minute, while muzzle velocity reaches 990 m/s. The turret provides continuous 360-degree azimuth coverage and elevation between -30° and +70°, enabling engagement of both low-flying drones and steep-diving aerial threats. Stabilization systems permit firing while the vehicle is moving, a key requirement if the system is to accompany maneuver formations.

Unlike traditional anti-aircraft guns that rely primarily on direct hits, the Tolga's engagement concept is centered on fragmentation ammunition. The 20 mm round incorporates a pyrotechnic delay fuze and disperses a cloud of high-velocity fragments near the target to compensate for the small size and high maneuverability of quadcopters and FPV drones, which present significantly smaller target areas than conventional aircraft. Additionally, the effective engagement envelope for the 20 mm layer reaches approximately 1,000 m. The Tolga also integrates the Gökbörü AESA radar system, electro-optical and infrared sensors, RF jammers, command-and-control elements, and multiple kinetic effectors within a common network.

The architecture is organized into three principal engagement layers. The outer layer uses 35 mm weapons with an effective range of approximately 4,000 m. The intermediate layer employs the 20 mm revolver weapon with an engagement range of approximately 1,000 m. The innermost layer uses 12.7 mm weapon systems effective out to approximately 300 m. Above these engagement layers sits a mobile surveillance component capable of detecting and tracking targets at distances reaching approximately 10 km. Unlike systems that separate electronic warfare assets from kinetic interceptors, the Tolga combines RF jamming and gun-based engagement under a single command structure.

The architecture has also expanded through the addition of acoustic detection sensors, Eenfal-17 missiles, and directed-energy components, creating multiple engagement options against targets that differ substantially in speed, altitude, signature, and cost. Target detection and tracking are built around the Gökbörü radar, which employs modular X-band FMCW AESA panels arranged to provide full 360-degree coverage. Depending on configuration, the system can reportedly track up to 100 targets simultaneously while controlling three weapon stations in mobile deployments or six weapon stations in fixed installations. Small quadcopters can be detected at several kilometers, tactical UAVs can be detected beyond 8 km, and fighter-sized aircraft can be detected beyond 30 km.

The radar network is complemented by EO/IR tracking systems and electronic support measures that provide additional target confirmation and classification data. The combination is intended to address one of the principal challenges of modern counter-drone operations: distinguishing small aerial targets from ground clutter while maintaining sufficient track quality for engagement decisions. The ability to manage large numbers of simultaneous tracks is particularly relevant in scenarios involving coordinated drone attacks, where saturation becomes the primary threat. HT Division's Katica vehicle was selected largely because its architecture was designed from the beginning as a modular payload carrier.

The Katica family includes wheeled, tracked, diesel-powered, electric-powered, and hybrid-powered variants intended for cargo transport, reconnaissance, force protection, and remote weapon employment. Payload flexibility was a central design requirement, enabling integration of remote weapon stations, missile systems, reconnaissance equipment, and unmanned aerial systems. The Tolga integration, therefore, exploits an existing modular architecture capable of accommodating additional sensors, communication systems, and weapon subsystems without extensive redesign. Previous Turkish-Hungarian cooperation had already resulted in the integration of Aselsan remote weapon stations onto Katica vehicles, including configurations carrying anti-tank missiles.

The current project, consequently, extends an existing technological relationship between the two countries. From a strict engineering perspective, the combination of a turret weighing less than 650 kg, excluding ammunition, with a medium-class unmanned ground vehicle falls within the payload capacity already demonstrated by the Katica. The industrial dimension is equally important. MKE has already established Tolga-related cooperation arrangements with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, making Hungary both a technology partner and a potential European industrial entry point for the system. The cooperation includes integration activities, engineering adaptation, testing, validation, personnel training, and evaluation of future production arrangements.

For MKE, access to a European unmanned systems manufacturer expands the range of vehicle options available for future Tolga configurations. For HT Division, the integration of the Tolga introduces a complete layered counter-UAS capability into the Katica portfolio rather than a standalone weapon station. The project reflects a wider shift in the defense market, where counter-drone systems increasingly evolve into export-oriented product families combining sensors, electronic warfare equipment, command systems, and kinetic effectors that can be integrated onto a variety of vehicles according to customer requirements. The operational relevance of the Tolga-Katica configuration is closely linked to battlefield changes observed since 2022.

In Ukraine, FPV drones, quadcopters, and tactical UAVs have become persistent threats to artillery units, logistics convoys, ammunition depots, and command posts. Similar trends have emerged across the Middle East, where low-cost drones have repeatedly challenged conventional air defense systems. These threats create a cost-exchange problem when intercepted using missiles that may cost several times more than the target itself. The Tolga addresses that problem through layered engagement ranges, fragmentation-based ammunition, radar surveillance, and electronic attack.

Mounting these capabilities on an unmanned vehicle further reduces crew exposure during forward deployment while allowing air defense coverage to move with maneuver formations. The concept is particularly relevant for convoy escort missions, temporary command posts, ammunition storage facilities, logistics hubs, and dispersed combat units operating beyond the protection of fixed air defense sites. More broadly, the Tolga-Katica combination illustrates the emergence of robotic SHORAD systems designed to accompany combat formations continuously rather than defend a single geographic location.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.

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