I have worked for a period in two companies specialized in drones before, and I held the position of project manager in both, which means I dealt daily with the technical aspects, as well as internal and external contracts and agreements (with other countries), and I oversaw the preparation of tests and delivery of projects related to the infantry and gendarmerie, as well as to an Arab country. Therefore, I believe I have accumulated knowledge that I would love to share so we can understand the picture more deeply, and more importantly, so that policymakers in Egypt do not rely on exaggerations of an unfinished achievement, leaving engineers and companies halfway through with the excuse that it was just a "morale boost"!!
I am really very happy with what the Egyptian Torneks company did at the World Defense Exhibition 2025; they showcased several drones, and there is good media coverage of their work, but there are several important points that should be discussed.
Any company in the world can create a model of a drone; in fact, an individual can do that easily. But the idea is: Has it been programmed, operated, tested, and actually sold? Unfortunately, so far, no. I hope that happens as soon as possible.
Secondly, the drones currently on display have equivalents in many countries that are not pioneers in this field like the USA, Israel, China, or Turkey; even in countries like Czech Republic, UAE, India, and Brazil they have drones with similar technological capabilities, and others that surpass them. Nevertheless, the idea of taking a step in this field remains an important and respectable endeavor that deserves support and continuity.
Thirdly, there is a complete system behind every drone. Without a control system, a ground station, an encrypted communication network, and an effective operational range, the drone remains just a structure that flies for a few minutes, and it will never be sellable. Countries buy an integrated system, not just a flying body. Today, this industry is no longer just a structure and a camera; it includes data management, communication protocols, encryption, image analysis, and, most importantly, integration with other systems.
The fourth point I mentioned earlier in some videos is supply chains. Are we manufacturing sensors? Thermal cameras? Navigation systems? Jamming systems? Engines? (Engines may not be necessary now in the displayed models, but they will be later). Or are we still almost completely reliant on imports? There is no fault in that, but we should have a clear vision and reliable networks to rely on, and a plan for gradual local manufacturing, or at least to buy from multiple sources so that we are not politically or technically constrained. The failure of a single electronic chip can disrupt the project for months or even years.
The fifth point is that no drone in the world can succeed without being field-tested. Here, I mean the tests carried out by air and ground forces and real fighters, alongside company tests – which are an essential part of the manufacturing process. What I mean is that the field officer should return to say, for example: "the sensor did not work at a high temperature", or "the battery drained quickly in cold weather", or "the signal was lost at a certain distance", or "take-off was not stable in windy conditions".
The most important point, which is the main purpose of writing this, is sustainability. The most dangerous thing that any defense project can face is to start with a massive launch and receive media hype and then suddenly stop. This has happened in many projects before. The drone industry requires patience, long-term funding, and political will to provide this funding continuously. It also requires understanding from decision-makers that success is not achieved from the first model, or from the first exhibition, nor should these projects be mere promotional materials showcased in programs of Ahmed Moussa or Amr Adib.
The world is full of models that appeared in exhibitions and then disappeared afterwards, even projects of major countries that failed despite huge budgets.
The United States itself canceled the Global Hawk Block 30 project because it was more expensive than its value, and filled with reliability and operational issues. The US Navy also halted the Fire Scout project (a drone helicopter) after repeated failures and its inability to operate efficiently on ships.
As for Britain, it lost over one billion pounds sterling in the Watchkeeper project, as ten aircraft crashed, the project was delayed by eight years, and in the end, it did not operate or export as they had hoped.
South Korea halted the KAI U project after repeated engine failures and failure of altitude tests, and the army refused to accept it.
Russia tried to develop the Dozor 600 drone but halted the project because most of the electronics were imported, and with sanctions, the whole plan failed.
What I would like to say is that presenting a model or an outer shape does not necessarily mean that you have a real industry. Even major countries have failed because the entire system behind the project was incomplete. Therefore, true success is not in presenting a model or a mock-up, but in continuation and the true will to succeed the project.
This statement is not meant to undermine anyone's effort; on the contrary; what Torneks has done is a very respectable and important step that should be encouraged. But real encouragement is not by cheering and thinking we have truly arrived, but by continuing to work with the same seriousness, with a clear vision and steadfast will. Trust me, the most dangerous thing that can happen to an emerging defense industry is to become early enamored with itself, or for exhibition images to turn into temporary political snapshots only.
This is an AI-generated English translation. The original text is in العربية
PhD Researcher in Defense Contracting and Cooperation Policies
