Abstract <p>This study aims at enhancing the efficiency of high-speed edge cutting of heat-resistant alloys. The enhancement is based on improving the tribotechnical characteristics of wear-resistant coatings by using multicomponent target cathodes made from sintered high-entropy alloys deposited by the magnetron method. Technologies for producing high-entropy target cathodes (with a diameter of 20 and 70 mm) obtained by high-temperature spark plasma sintering with various content of Al, Cr, Hf, Mo, Nb, Ni, Ta, Ti, V, W, and Zr have been developed; control of their parameters, density, grain-size composition, electrical conductivity, hardness, and crack resistance is provided. The morphology of the sintered samples was examined by scanning electron microscopy and non-dispersive analysis. Production equipment for magnetron coating systems in various gas media is manufactured. Tribotechnical tests were carried out using tribometers and during edge cutting of various grades of steels and alloys. The test results were used to determine the most effective compositions of multilayer composite nanostructured high-entropy wear-resistant coatings, in particular, Al₂₀Ti₂₀Zr₁₅V₁₅Cr₁₅Nb₁₅ and Al₂₀Hf₁₀Ni₁₅Ti₂₅W₁₀Zr₂₀, which provide improved cutting performance of EI654 and EI698VD chromium-nickel alloys. Comparative tests of commercially used wear-resistant coatings and coatings made of high-entropy target cathodes: Al₂₀Hf₁₀Ni₁₅Ti₂₅W₁₀Zr₂₀, Al₂₀Ti₂₀Zr₁₅V₁₅Cr₁₅Nb₁₅, Al₂₀Hf₁₅V₁₅Cr₁₅Ti₁₅Ta₁₀W₁₀, Ti₁₅Zr₁₅Cr₁₅Ni₁₀W₁₀V₁₀Nb₁₅Al₁₀, Ti₂₀Hf₁₅Mo₁₅W₁₀V₁₀Nb₁₅Al₁₅, Ti₄₀Zr₁₀Cr₁₀Ni₁₀W₁₀Mo₁₀Nb₁₀, etc., were carried out. Studies in the longitudinal turning of EI-654 and EI‑698VD chromium-nickel alloys confirmed that the efficiency of using high-entropy coatings on a cutting tool increases on average by 20–25%.</p>