IDEF 2025: Türkiye's MKE develops TOLGA remote weapon station for next generation counter drone missions.

At IDEF 2025, a defense exhibition in Türkiye, the Turkish state-owned defense company MKE unveiled its latest innovation in mobile air defense, the TOLGA Defense Shield System (DSS), marking a strategic response to the rising threat of drones, FPV (First-Person View) attack platforms, and loitering munitions on the modern battlefield. Designed to protect both frontline troops and combat vehicles, the TOLGA system delivers an integrated, multi-layered defense combining soft-kill and hard-kill measures on a highly mobile 4x4 platform.
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At IDEF 2025, MKE presents its TOLGA remotely operated weapon station mounted on a light civilian all-terrain vehicle, designed to counter emerging drone threats. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

As asymmetric drone warfare becomes more sophisticated, systems like TOLGA are emerging as critical assets for ensuring force protection in both static and mobile operations. The rise of commercial-grade FPV drones equipped with improvised explosives, alongside advanced loitering munitions with AI-assisted targeting, has significantly expanded the vulnerability footprint of conventional ground forces. MKE’s TOLGA system addresses this challenge by integrating radar-guided detection, electronic countermeasures, and turret-based kinetic engagement in a unified, modular solution.

The TOLGA turret can be configured with weapons of various calibers, including a 12.7 mm machine gun, as well as 20 mm, 35 mm, and 40 mm automatic cannons, with each variant optimized for different threat ranges. Target data from mobile radar units is instantly relayed to soft-kill jamming stations, which attempt to disable threats electronically as a first step. If unsuccessful, the system rapidly transitions to hard-kill, engaging drones with precision munitions developed by MKE specifically for aerial targets.

What sets the TOLGA system apart is its mobility and autonomous coordination. Mounted on a civilian-style 4x4 all-terrain vehicle, it offers high agility and quick deployment, suitable for escorting convoys, securing temporary forward positions, or reinforcing static base defenses. With an integrated Command and Control Center on board, the system is capable of operating independently or as part of a broader air defense network.

Combining both electronic jamming and direct engagement, TOLGA adapts dynamically to the nature and proximity of the aerial threat. The system initiates defense with soft-kill jamming of GPS or RF-controlled drones, then escalates to hard-kill based on the threat's behavior and distance. Its turret configurations provide layered interception: the 12.7 mm version is effective up to 300 meters, the 40 mm version covers 500 meters, the 20 mm turret extends protection to 1,000 meters, and the 35 mm variant ensures destruction out to 3,000 meters. This scalable firepower grants TOLGA a 360-degree defense bubble suitable for high-risk deployment zones.

Developed with modularity, precision, and high reaction speed in mind, the TOLGA DSS is tailored for various mission environments including base perimeter defense, protection of convoys, and safeguarding of high-value infrastructure. It demonstrates Türkiye’s continued investment in adaptive counter-UAV capabilities to meet the demands of modern warfare, providing allied forces and defense customers a combat-proven framework for drone threat mitigation.