The Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (Turkish: Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi or MKE for short), established in 1950, is a reorganization of government-controlled group of factories in Turkey that supplied the Turkish Armed Forces with military products.
Its roots lie in the "Tophane-i Amire" ("Royal Arsenal") built in the latter part of the 15th Century to supply the Ottoman Empire's artillery corps with cannon, powder, and shot. This was reorganized in 1832 as the "Tophane Müşavirliği" ("Arsenal of Ordnance and Artillery Marshalship") and was later formed in a department of "Harbiye Nezareti" (Ministry of War) in 1908. After World War I and the following Turkish War of Independence, it was reorganized as the "General Directorate of Military Factories" in 1923. Today, the MKE is made up of 12 facilities that employ 7,430 personnel.[1][2] The first produced rifle was Mauser Model M1938 (along with 'Enfauser' Lee–Enfield/Mauser hybrids)[3] and the first pistol was Walther PP, both known as 'Kırıkkale'.[4]
MKEK munitions on IDEF 200740mm RPG by MKEKMK-84 and MK-82 by MKEK
The corporation mainly produces equipment for the Turkish Armed Forces, such as the ammunition for small arms and heavy weapons, artillery systems, aerial bombs, mines, explosives, and rockets. MKEK also manufactures civil-purpose products such as steel, brass, and electrical parts and equipment. Its large range of defense industry products are not only demanded in Turkey, but are exported to more than 40 countries worldwide.[citation needed]
In 2011, the company has sold military products to 29 countries worldwide.[6] MKE decided to increase its production capacity by investing $818 million in Ankara and Kırıkkale in 2025.[7] The first smoothbore gun for Altay main battle tank was introduced in 2011.
Production groups:
Ammunition Group
Rocket Group
Weapons Group
Explosives, Propellants, and Pyrotechnic Products Group
Company and factories: there are 11 factories and 1 company affiliated with MKE located in three major manufacturing hubs:
MKE Maksam (Turkish: Maksam Makine Ve Maske Fabrikası Müdürlüğü or MAKSAM for short) was founded in 1920.[8] The company's line of business includes the manufacturing of surgical appliances and supplies also CBRN masks and products, various masks are produced for the army and civilians.[9][10] During COVID-19 pandemic Maksam produced millions of Surgical Mask, FFP3 Type Mask, Protective Coverall, Goggles Type A-B, Face Protection Visor Type C, Protective Gloves, Panoramic Mask Set, P13 Plastic Strainer and MKE Surgical Mask Production Machines.[10]
SAHRA Mechanical Respirator
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Apart from masks and protective equipment, SAHRA Mechanical Respirator was produced by making use of local and national facilities in order to provide basic respiratory support to COVID-19 patients. SAHRA is ready for mass production by the end of May 2020 and has a weekly production capacity of 500 pieces.[11]
^"Türkiye'nin ilk askeri eğitim uçağı MKEK-44 Uğur". www.savunmasanayiidergilik.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
^ ab"MKEK catalogue" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-09.
^ abc"TAMKAR – Mayınlı Sahalarda Geçit Açma Sistemi". Savunma Sanayi (in Turkish). 2018-02-09. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
^http://aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/turkiyenin-yeni-obusu-yavuz-geliyor/807764 Archived 29 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine Türkiye'nin yeni obüsü 'Yavuz' geliyor
^http://en.c4defence.com/Archive/mkek-s-yavuz-will-be-at-idef-2017/4294/1 Archived 15 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine MKEK's "Yavuz" Will Be At IDEF 2017
^"aselsan info". Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
^"Mkek - Product Details". www.mkek.gov.tr. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012.
^"Si̇lahlar". www.jandarma.tsk.mil.tr. Archived from the original on April 14, 2009.
^"MKEK - Mechanical and Chemical Industry Company". mkek.gov.tr. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
^ abcdefgArmy Recognition (15 April 2010). "Turkish Military Forces". Army Recognition. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
^"Turkish Defence Industry Product Catalogue". www.ssb.gov.tr. Archived from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
^Kökçü, Ata Ahmet (2019-05-23). "KAAN-717 Karabina Tipi Piyade Tüfeği". DefenceTurk (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-04-13.
^"MAM-15 MKE anti-materiel sniper rifle Turkey IDEF 11305172 | IDEF 2017 Online Show Daily News | Defence security military exhibition 2017 daily news category". www.armyrecognition.com. 13 May 2017. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
^"MKEK - Mechanical and Chemical Industry Company". mkek.gov.tr. Retrieved 2020-12-08.[permanent dead link]
^"MOT-919 Milli Otomatik Tabanca". Turkish Defence Agency (in Turkish). 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
^"MKE'den yeni milli silah projesi | SavunmaSanayiST" (in Turkish). 2019-10-25. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
^Kırıkkale 24 (2019-10-28). "MKEK'den Milli Otomatik Tabanca | Kırıkkale 24 Haber ve Haberleri" (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-04-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)[permanent dead link]
^"MPT-76 ve MPT-55'de seri üretim devam ediyor - Son Dakika haberleri". www.dha.com.tr. 14 August 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
^"MKEK: "PMT-76 göreve hazır" I Savunma Sanayi" (in Turkish). 2021-03-29. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
^Tavor-21 Rifle Headed Into Service With Indian Special Forces Archived 2008-12-16 at the Wayback Machine. Defenseindustrydaily.com (2007-02-28). Retrieved on 2010-08-31.
^Fire resistance tests. Fire dampers for air distribution systems, BSI British Standards, doi:10.3403/bsiso10294
^"Havadan Taşınabilir Obüs (BORAN) Projesi ve Özel Detaylar". 27 February 2018.