On May 6, Indonesia signed a framework contract with the Turkish company Baykar for the delivery of an initial 12 Bayraktar Kızılelma high-performance uncrewed combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) and the establishment of production and maintenance facilities in Indonesia, during the SAHA 2026 defense exhibition in Istanbul, underscoring the growing Indonesia-Türkiye defense partnership.
Türkiye has become but one – albeit arguably the most important of late – source of defense equipment to help modernize the Indonesian military (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI). Jakarta has recently signed four major contracts for military aircraft with Türkiye, involving no less than six different types of crewed and uncrewed combat aircraft. This cooperation dates to April 2011, when the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on defense industrial collaboration.
The Indonesia-Türkiye defense industrial collaboration has emerged as perhaps Jakarta’s most strategic move to date. The recent agreements are just a part of a much broader defense materiel cooperation with Türkiye, which covers land, sea and air capabilities. This includes the I-class guided-missile frigates, Atmaca antiship missiles, Khan (Bora-1) short-range ballistic missiles, Trisula-O (Hisar-O) medium-range and Trisula-U (Hisar-U) long-range air-defense systems, and Harimau (Kaplan MT) medium tanks. Future plans also include cooperation on submarines. To underline the importance that Indonesia places on the bilateral defense ties, the country has become the first foreign customer for many of these systems.
