President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘s recent visit to Asia has resulted in several defense cooperation agreements aimed at enhancing business opportunities for Turkish defense firms.
Earlier this week, Erdoğan traveled to Malaysia and Indonesia before proceeding to Pakistan.
He was joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı, and Trade Minister Ömer Bolat.
During the delegation’s initial stop in Malaysia, a total of 11 agreements were finalized between the two nations. Among these was a preliminary acceptance letter for the acquisition of multipurpose mission vessels, established between Desan Shipyard and the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs.
The financial details of the contract have not been made public by the involved parties.
The Malaysian government indicated that the vessel is anticipated to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2027, with the capability to operate continuously for 30 days. It will feature a helideck, two aerial drones, and four fast interceptor boats.
According to a senior navy official, “This 99-meter-long vessel, designed to accommodate 70 crew members and 30 passengers, will primarily focus on monitoring activities in the South China Sea, particularly in addressing foreign vessel intrusions, illegal fishing, and cross-border crimes such as smuggling and human trafficking.”
The shipbuilding initiative is an extension of the ongoing LMS batch 2 corvette construction project in Turkey, spearheaded by STM shipyard.
During the second segment of his journey, Erdoğan traveled to Indonesia, where leaders from both countries formalized 13 agreements. Among these was a collaborative agreement between Republikorp and Baykar to establish a drone manufacturing facility in Indonesia.
As stated in a press release from Republikorp, the new company will concentrate on the production and maintenance of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The key products to be localized will include up to 60 units of Bayraktar TB3 adrones and up to nine units of Bayraktar Akinci drones. Baykar will provide its manufacturing expertise, technology transfer, and training, while Republikorp will handle regulatory compliance, infrastructure development, local expert certification, and integration into Indonesia’s defense framework.
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