Indonesia has emerged as the first export customer for Turkey’s next-generation Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned combat aircraft, marking another milestone in the rapidly expanding defense partnership between Ankara and Jakarta. The agreement, signed during the SAHA 2026 defense exhibition in Istanbul, reinforces Turkey’s growing status as a global arms exporter while positioning Indonesia as one of the most ambitious military modernization programs in Southeast Asia.
The deal was signed on May 6, 2026, by Haluk Bayraktar, chief executive of Turkish defense giant [Baykar](https://www.baykartech.com/en/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), and Norman Joesoef, chairman of Indonesian defense group Republikorp. Under the agreement, Indonesia will acquire 12 Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), becoming the first foreign customer for the aircraft that Turkey has described as the world’s first unmanned fighter jet.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Bayraktar characterized the agreement as a landmark achievement for both nations. “We have signed an export agreement for Bayraktar Kizilelma for the first time, together with Indonesia,” he said during remarks reported by Turkish media. “We are proud of this on behalf of our country and our brotherly nation, Indonesia.”
The contract extends beyond the initial 12-aircraft purchase. It also reportedly includes an option for 48 additional aircraft, along with provisions for local production, maintenance infrastructure, and industrial cooperation inside Indonesia. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2028, according to Baykar officials.
The Kızılelma acquisition represents the latest step in a sweeping Indonesian effort to diversify and modernize its armed forces amid intensifying geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific region. Jakarta has increasingly turned toward Turkish defense manufacturers for advanced systems spanning drones, missiles, warships, tanks, and fighter aircraft.
Indonesia had already become a major customer for Baykar products prior to the Kızılelma deal. The country previously purchased the combat-proven Bayraktar TB2 and the larger Akıncı high-altitude unmanned combat drone. More recently, Jakarta agreed to acquire 60 Bayraktar TB3 carrier-capable drones, which are expected to operate from the Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi that Indonesia is in the process of acquiring from Italy.
The latest agreement also follows Indonesia’s historic decision to become the launch export customer for Turkey’s KAAN fifth-generation stealth fighter. In 2025, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense signed a contract for 48 KAAN aircraft in what became Turkey’s largest-ever defense export agreement.
That fighter deal included extensive provisions for co-production, technology transfer, and participation by Indonesian industry in the aircraft’s future development. Analysts believe the same industrial cooperation framework is now becoming a hallmark of Turkish-Indonesian defense ties.
Beyond aircraft and drones, Indonesia has steadily expanded procurement of Turkish weapon systems. These acquisitions reportedly include MILGEM-class frigates, Kaplan medium tanks, HISAR surface-to-air missile systems, Çakır anti-ship cruise missiles, ATMACA anti-ship missiles, and KHAN ballistic missiles.
Many of these agreements include local assembly lines, technology-sharing arrangements, and maintenance facilities in Indonesia. Such provisions align with Jakarta’s long-term goal of strengthening domestic defense manufacturing capabilities while reducing reliance on traditional Western suppliers.
For Turkey, Indonesia has become a strategic gateway into the wider ASEAN defense market. Turkish defense firms have aggressively expanded exports over the past decade, leveraging combat-tested systems and competitive pricing to penetrate markets across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Turkish officials and industry executives have repeatedly highlighted Indonesia’s geopolitical importance. Nuri Doğan Karadeniz, head of the Türkiye-Indonesia Business Council under the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), previously described Indonesia as the “locomotive” of ASEAN due to its economic scale and geographic position.
“Considering its proximity to countries such as China, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, it is an aircraft carrier for us,” Karadeniz said during an earlier media interaction, emphasizing Indonesia’s role as a strategic bridge into Southeast Asia.
The Bayraktar Kızılelma itself represents one of Turkey’s most ambitious aerospace projects. Developed by Baykar Technology, the jet-powered UCAV is designed to combine stealth characteristics, autonomous capabilities, and advanced sensor fusion in a platform intended to perform many roles traditionally associated with manned fighter aircraft.
The aircraft’s name, “Kızılelma,” or “Red Apple,” carries historical significance in Turkish culture and symbolizes an ultimate strategic objective or aspiration. Turkish officials frequently present the platform as evidence of the country’s emergence as an independent aerospace power.
Bayraktar noted during SAHA 2026 that the aircraft first flew in 2022 and has since undergone extensive testing and development. “Serial production was completed last year, and our goal this year is to place Kizilelma into service for Türkiye,” he stated.
Designed as a stealthy multi-role UCAV, Kızılelma is intended to conduct air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, intelligence and reconnaissance missions, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, and deep-strike operations.
According to Baykar, the aircraft integrates advanced artificial intelligence systems that support autonomous operations, formation flying, and networked swarm capabilities. The company has also stated that the aircraft is being developed for operations from aircraft carriers and short-runway naval platforms, though some of those capabilities remain under refinement.
Turkish defense planners envision the Kızılelma operating in conjunction with the KAAN stealth fighter in a “manned-unmanned teaming” concept, where autonomous drones support piloted combat aircraft during high-risk missions.
Technically, the Kızılelma has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 8,500 kilograms and can carry a payload of up to 1,500 kilograms. It reportedly has an endurance of up to five hours and can reach speeds of roughly 800 kilometers per hour, equivalent to about Mach 0.64.
The aircraft is capable of carrying a wide variety of munitions, including air-to-air missiles, precision-guided bombs, cruise missiles, and stand-off weapons. Turkish media reports have highlighted the aircraft’s ability to engage aerial targets using indigenous sensors and weapon systems.
In November 2025, the UCAV reportedly conducted a simulated air-to-air engagement against an F-16 fighter aircraft. During the test, Kızılelma allegedly locked onto the target at a range of approximately 30 miles before achieving a simulated successful strike. Turkish publications described the event as a major milestone for unmanned air combat.
The aircraft incorporates the Aselsan MURAD active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, electro-optical targeting systems, infrared search-and-track sensors, and AI-enabled mission computers. Baykar has also indicated that satellite communication systems will allow beyond-line-of-sight operational control.
Its aerodynamic configuration includes a canard-delta wing layout, cantilevered vertical stabilizers, and a low-radar-cross-section airframe intended to improve survivability in contested airspace.
Turkey argues that the aircraft’s low observability, autonomous operation, and long-range strike capability could redefine future aerial warfare doctrines. Turkish defense publications have portrayed Kızılelma as potentially becoming the first unmanned combat aircraft capable of independently detecting and engaging enemy aircraft using onboard radar and domestically developed missiles.
For Indonesia, the acquisition could significantly strengthen surveillance and deterrence capabilities across critical maritime zones, particularly around the Natuna Islands and the South China Sea. The country faces growing strategic pressure as regional powers expand military activities across disputed waters and sea lanes.
The stealthy UCAV’s ability to maintain persistent presence over vast maritime areas while operating with reduced risk to pilots makes it especially attractive for Indonesia’s archipelagic geography. Defense analysts believe the aircraft could serve as a force multiplier for maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and deterrence missions across the Indo-Pacific.
The agreement also reflects a broader global trend toward unmanned combat aviation. Countries around the world are investing heavily in autonomous systems capable of performing increasingly sophisticated missions once reserved for manned fighters. Turkey, through Baykar and other domestic defense firms, has positioned itself at the forefront of that transformation.
As Ankara deepens military-industrial cooperation with Jakarta, the Kızılelma agreement signals that Turkish-Indonesian defense relations are evolving into one of the most consequential strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific arms market. With co-production, technology transfer, and long-term industrial collaboration now central to multiple agreements, both countries appear committed to building a defense relationship that extends far beyond simple buyer-seller transactions.
