Turkish government racks up naval, drone deals during Asia trip
ISTANBUL — President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's trip to Asia has yielded a number of defense cooperation agreements meant to bring new business to Turkish defense companies.
Earlier this week, Erdoğan visited Malaysia and Indonesia before moving on to Pakistan.
He is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, and Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat.
In the first stop of the delegation's visit to Malaysia, a total of 11 agreements were signed between the two countries. One of them was a preliminary acceptance letter for the procurement of multipurpose mission ships between Desan Shipyard and the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs.
The commercial value of the contract has not been disclosed by the parties involved.
The Malaysian government said the vessel is expected to be fully operational in the first quarter of 2027, and it will be capable of operating continuously for 30 days. Its onboard features include a helideck, two aerial drones and four fast interceptor boats.
'This 99-meter-long vessel, capable of carrying 70 crew members and 30 passengers, will focus on monitoring activities in the South China Sea, particularly in countering foreign vessel intrusions, illegal fishing activities, and cross-border crimes such as smuggling and human trafficking,' a senior navy official said.
The shipbuilding project is an addition to the continuing LMS batch 2 corvette construction project in Turkey, led by STM shipyard.
In the second leg of his trip, Erdoğan visited Indonesia, where leaders from both nations signed 13 agreements. Among them was a joint venture pact between Republikorp and Baykar for the construction of a drone factory in Indonesia.
According to the press release by Republikorp, the joint firm will focus on manufacturing and maintaining unmanned aerial vehicles.
The primary products to be localized include up to 60 sets of Bayraktar TB3 and up to nine sets of Bayraktar Akinci drones. Baykar will contribute its expertise in manufacturing, technology transfer and training, while Republikorp will ensure regulatory compliance, infrastructure development, local expert certification, and integration into Indonesia's defense ecosystem.
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