Indonesia procures 60 Bayraktar TB3 drones

Baykar Bayraktar TB3 PT2, a Turkish medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), successfully takes off from TCG Anadolu’s short runway with a 12-degree inclined ramp on November 19, 2024. (Photo by Baykar / Handout /Anadolu via Getty Images)

BEIRUT — Turkish drone maker Baykar will supply Indonesia with 60 Bayraktar TB3 armed drones and nine Akinci surveillance drones, according to Indonesian firm Republikorp.

The deal was signed Wednesday by Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar and Republikorp founder Norman Joesoef, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Indonesia, Turkish news agency Anadolu reported. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

Per the agreement, “a Joint Venture Company (JVC) will be established in Indonesia, focusing on the manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance of UAVs,” Republikorp’s statement says.

The Bayraktar TB3 can perform Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions and can be equipped with munitions under the wings for combat operations. It is also equipped with communication capabilities that allow control over distances beyond line of sight.

The unmanned combat aerial vehicle completed open-sea shipboard trials and performed its first successful flight test to take off and land on the Turkish ship TCG Anadolu, a short runway vessel, in November 2024, Breaking Defense previously reported.

The Akinci High-Altitude Long-Endurance UAV entered service with the Turkish armed forces in August 2021, and has received six export contracts so far, according to the company. It is also the drone that was used to locate the helicopter crash of Iranian President Raisi in May 2024.

Baykar had previously secured the largest contract in the firm’s history to supply Saudi armed forces with Akinci drones.

Baykar was in the top 10 Turkish defense exporters in 2024, with export revenue amounting to $1.8 billion.