Indonesia Purchases 12 Surveillance and Reconnaissance Drones from Turkish Aerospace.
Indonesia has acquired 12 surveillance and reconnaissance drones worth $300 million from Turkish Aerospace to bolster its defense capabilities, as per the Defense Ministry’s announcement on Wednesday.
The Indonesian procurement aims to enhance the range, quantity, and quality of its military equipment. They signed the agreement with Turkish Aerospace on February 3, headquartered in Ankara. They scheduled the delivery of the 12 units of ANKA drones by November 2025.
Besides the drones, Indonesia will receive training, logistic support, and related equipment, plus a two-year warranty period.
The ANKA drones will serve the Indonesian air force, army, and navy. The 8.6-meter (28-foot) drone has a flight time of approximately 30 hours at an altitude of 9,100 meters (30,000 feet). The Turkish air force has been using them since 2010.
In January, Indonesia also finalized a $805 million deal to purchase twelve advanced Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets, previously used by the Qatari air force. The acquisition from French company Dassault Aviation was criticized due to the age of the equipment. However, the Defense Ministry explained that Indonesia urgently requires fighter aircraft defense equipment to replace aging aircraft and maintain its air force’s combat readiness. While some existing aircraft are being upgraded, overhauled, or repaired during the wait for the newly ordered aircraft’s delivery.
Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto further approved the purchase of 42 units of Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft in February 2022. Indonesia anticipates receiving the first three of six twin-engine Rafale fighters in January 2026.