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.

Cem Devrim Yaylali is a Turkey correspondent for Defense News. He is a keen photographer of military ships and has a passion for writing about naval and defense issues. He was born in Paris, France, and resides in Istanbul, Turkey. He is married with one son.

伊斯坦布尔——土耳其总统雷杰普·塔伊普·埃尔多安的亚洲之行达成了一系列国防合作协议，旨在为土耳其国防企业带来新的业务。

本周早些时候，埃尔多安访问了马来西亚和印度尼西亚，之后前往巴基斯坦。

陪同他出访的有外交部长哈坎·菲丹、国防部长亚沙尔·居莱尔、工业和技术部长穆罕默德·法提赫·卡哲尔、农业和林业部长易卜拉欣·尤马克勒以及贸易部长厄梅尔·博拉特。

代表团访问马来西亚的第一站，两国共签署了11项协议。其中一项是德山造船厂与马来西亚内政部之间关于采购多用途任务舰的初步验收函。

合同的商业价值尚未由相关各方披露。

马来西亚政府表示，该舰预计将于2027年第一季度全面投入使用，并具备连续作战30天的能力。其舰载设施包括直升机甲板、两架无人机和四艘高速拦截艇。

一位海军高级官员表示：“这艘99米长的船只能够搭载70名船员和30名乘客，将重点监控南海的活动，特别是打击外国船只入侵、非法捕鱼活动以及走私和人口贩运等跨境犯罪。”

该造船项目是对土耳其 STM 造船厂正在进行的 LMS 第二批次轻型护卫舰建造项目的补充。

在访问的第二站，埃尔多安前往印度尼西亚，两国领导人签署了13项协议。其中包括Republikorp和Baykar公司签署的合资协议，将在印度尼西亚建设一座无人机工厂。

根据 Republikorp 的新闻稿，合资公司将专注于无人机的制造和维护。

此次本地化生产的主要产品包括至多60套Bayraktar TB3无人机和至多9套Bayraktar Akinci无人机。Baykar公司将贡献其在制造、技术转让和培训方面的专业知识，而Republikorp公司将负责确保合规性、基础设施建设、本地专家认证以及融入印尼国防体系。

杰姆·德夫里姆·亚伊拉利是《防务新闻》驻土耳其记者。他热衷于拍摄军舰，并对海军和国防议题充满热情。他出生于法国巴黎，现居土耳其伊斯坦布尔。他已婚，育有一子。