February 14, 2025
JAKARTA – Turkey and Indonesia have agreed to elevate defense industry cooperation following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s state visit on Wednesday by signing several agreements to “expand collaboration beyond procurement” in a bid to “strengthen national defense, enhance strategic autonomy in defense industry and contribute to global peace and stability”.
In collaboration with the Indonesian Defense Ministry, several Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems will be manufactured in the country, including up to 60 sets of Bayraktar TB3 Medium-Altitute Long-Endurance (MALE) systems and up to nine sets of Bayraktar Akinci High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) systems.
According to an agreement between Turkish drone maker Baykar Makina and Indonesian private weapons company PT Republikorp, Baykar will contribute to manufacturing, technology transfer and training, while PT Republikorp will ensure regulatory compliance, infrastructure development, local expert certification and integration into the country’s defense ecosystem.
“This initiative is part of Indonesia’s long-term vision to build a self-reliant, competitive and future-ready defense industry capable of addressing emerging global challenges,” a joint statement from both companies said.
“This partnership will not only enhance defense autonomy but also create opportunities for innovation, research and UAV technology development in Indonesia, further boosting the competitiveness of Indonesia’s aerospace sector at the regional level,” it also said.
Since last July, the Indonesian Military (TNI) has confirmed that it was interested in acquiring Turkish-made UAVs as part of its modernization efforts, with former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo underscoring the importance of unmanned weapons system during his visit to the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java, with then-defense minister and current president Prabowo Subianto.
The Baykatar MALE UAVs are capable of flying at an altitude of 3,000 to 9,000 meters, while the Akinci HALE UAVs can fly at altitudes exceeding 11,000 meters.
The deal was finally inked during Erdoğan’s visit to the Bogor palace in West Java on Wednesday to conduct a bilateral meeting with Prabowo, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between both countries.
Erdoğan’s visit also saw another deal scored between state-owned builder PT PAL Indonesia and TAIS Gemi Insa ve Teknoloji (TAIS Shipyard) for the construction of two units of Frigate Istanbul Class, a type of stealth warship optimized for antisurface, antiair and antisubmarine operations.
In a joint statement released by Prabowo and Erdoğan after their Wednesday meeting, the two leaders had also agreed to further develop a road map to enhance future defense industry cooperation, including through the establishment of Turkish primary defense industry firms in Indonesia as well as regular 2+2 meetings between their foreign and defense ministries.
“I’m joyous to announce that President Erdoğan’s visit has been especially productive. It has marked a new chapter in our strategic partnership,” Prabowo told reporters after the meeting.
On the same note of weapons procurement, French President Emmanuel Macron’s scheduled visit to Indonesia in May has also been anticipated to welcome some defense agreements into the country as it seeks to fulfill its Minimum Essential Forces (MEF) targets.
Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid on Tuesday confirmed to reporters that Macron would pay Prabowo a visit sometime in May, with discussions on strategic cooperation “including in the digital economy, artificial intelligence, defense and green energy” expected to take place.
Indonesia has in recent years been eyeing French-made Rafale fighter jets, alongside a joint development between PT PAL Indonesia and French naval defense firm Naval Group to construct two Scorpene submarines in the country.