Defense Diplomacy "Drone" Combat Indonesia-Türkiye

The rapid development of Turkey's defense industry has encouraged Indonesia to make it a strategic partner in meeting the needs for the main weaponry system.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

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Visitors take photos alongside the unmanned Anka aircraft produced by Turkish Aerospace on display at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul, Turkey on Wednesday (26/7/2023).

The 2023 International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) which took place in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday-Friday (25-28/7/2023) became the window for the Turkish defense industry. A number of Turkish companies demonstrated their latest technology, ranging from tanks, fighter jets, rockets to drones or combat drones. Turkish companies, such as Turkish Aerospace, Aselsan and Roketsan even occupy the main area and become the center of attention of exhibition visitors.

The rapid development of Turkey's defense industry has prompted Indonesia to make it one of its strategic partners in meeting the needs of primary weapon systems (alutsista). Recently, Indonesia has purchased 12 units of Anka combat drones made by Turkish Aerospace.

Also read: Six Anka Turkish Aerospace Unmanned Aircraft to Be Assembled in Indonesia

President and CEO of Turkish Aerospace, Temel Kotil, confirmed in late July a partnership to purchase 12 units of Anka. Half of which will be assembled in Indonesia through PT Dirgantara Indonesia. The partnership to assemble Anka with local companies as part of this technology transfer is part of the second country's partnership contract.

According to him, the assembly of Anka at PT Dirgantara Indonesia is part of a bilateral agreement. This is because they want to support Indonesia's ability to independently build the necessary defense equipment. Currently, he is still waiting for follow-up with PT Dirgantara Indonesia to build the Anka assembly facility.

"There are no minimum purchase requirements for the transfer of Anka technology. This is a mutual agreement," said Kotil.

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President and CEO of Turkish Aerospace Temel Kotil

Anka which is a high-endurance drone to operate at medium altitudes. This combat drone can be used for a variety of roles, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, and strike missions. For that, Anka is equipped with a number of sensors, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; targeting; air to ground attacks; maritime surveillance; border and coastal protection; communication relays; and electronic warfare and signal intelligence.

The Anka has a wingspan of 17.5 meters; length 8.6 meters; and 3.25 meters high. This drone can fly for up to 30 hours at an altitude of up to 30,000 feet. The range of line of sight (LOS) reaches around 250 kilometers.

Kotil stated that Anka is one of the very successful products in the unmanned aircraft category. In the country, Anka has been used by the Air Force, Navy, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Directorate General of Forestry of Turkey. Meanwhile, Anka has also been exported to several countries, namely Tunisia, Kazakhstan, Angola, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Chad.

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Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made by Turkish Aerospace, Anka III, was seen in a hangar in Ankara, Turkey on Tuesday (26/7/2023). This stealth fighter jet has low radar visibility, allowing it to operate covertly without being detected.

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense stated that the process of purchasing 12 Anka units from Turkish Aerospace was marked by the signing of a contract with the provider on February 3, 2023. The contract worth 300 million US dollars is still in the activation process at the Ministry of Finance. Delivery of the 12 Anka units will be carried out 32 months after the contract becomes effective.

In addition to cooperation in purchasing Anka, there are additional contracts in the form ofIntegrated Logistic Support (ILS), Ground Support and Test Equipment(GS&TE), Flight Simulator, hangar infrastructure, and training. The contract also states that Turkish Aerospace provides Anka with a guarantee of 24 months or 600 flight hours, whichever comes first.

See also: Hurjet to Anka is the Prima Donna at the International Defense Industry Fair 2023 in Turkey

The procurement of four unmanned aerial vehicle systems consisting of 12 Anka units is a real effort by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in following up President Joko Widodo's directives to continue strengthening Indonesia's defense system, especially by increasing the variety, quantity, and quality of TNI's weaponry and defense equipment," wrote the Ministry of Defense.

Vice President Executive of Helicopter Division of Turkish Aerospace, Mehmet Demiroglu stated that the Turkish defense industry has developed rapidly in the past 20 years. Even in the field of unmanned combat aircraft technology, Turkey is among the top three in the world. The level of foreign dependency in the defense industry has also decreased from 80 percent in 2002 to only 20 percent.

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The Hurjet, a training aircraft that can also be used for light attack aircraft, produced by Turkish Aerospace was showcased at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday (27/7/2023).

On the other hand, the Turkish defense industry, both state-owned and private enterprises, share roles with each other. Each company has its own specialization and advantages to be able to build sophisticated defense equipment. Even if there are companies that produce the same type of defense equipment, each one has a different target.

Furthermore, the developing achievement of the Turkish defense industry cannot be separated from the combination of political will from the government, good management, and sufficient funding. Without the combination of these three elements, it is difficult to build a domestic defense industry.

"This is not an easy path to become a major player in the defense industry, but it is a path that must be taken," said Demiroglu.