• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: Airbus assembles first SIRTAP prototype, with a maiden flight planned by year's end

  16th June 2025

  Airbus has completed the assembly of the first SIRTAP prototype, ahead of a ground test campaign that will culminate in the system's maiden flight by the end of 2025. The MALE drone is destined for delivery to Spain in 2027 and will also be operated by Colombia.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkey begins steel-cutting on MUGEM and MiLDEN vessels

  3rd January 2025

  The MUGEM, TF-2000 and MiLDEN programmes all aim to boost Turkey’s domestic shipbuilding prowess and its fleet.

• Land Warfare

  Malaysia advances armoured modernisation with $435 million Tarantula vehicle deal

  23rd May 2025

  Mildef International Technologies will supply high-mobility armoured vehicles featuring systems from Aselsan under a new strategic agreement.

• Air Warfare

  How the MQ-9B’s interoperability is driving future market success

  8th September 2025

  With numerous nations, including the UK, committing a combined US$9.99 billion to acquiring the MQ-9B MALE UAV according to Shephard Defence Insight data, the capability now looks set to soar as UAV spending rises globally.

• Air Warfare

  Turkey moves step closer to Eurofighter purchase with UK and Germany agreements

  24th July 2025

  The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement between the UK and Turkey has been welcomed by industry and governments, boosting confidence in a potential export sale and aid to kickstart more Typhoon production in the UK.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy destroyer completes UAV live-fire exercise before heading to the Indo-Pacific

  3rd April 2025

  HMS Dauntless ran a full UAV test to mimic potential real-world threats.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: New capabilities, partnerships and next-gen programmes remain priority for industry

  12th June 2025

  As European countries increase their defence budgets, the Paris Air Show will look to how the aerospace industry’s responds, with programme progression, new technology and industrial partnerships all expected to take centre stage at Le Bourget.

• Air Warfare

  GA-ASI nets MQ-9B order from Denmark, with Belgium poised for additional buy

  23rd July 2025

  The acquisition of the MQ-9B UAVs will work to strengthen both Denmark's and Belgium’s defences as well as boost the countries’ contribution to NATO, with Norway also a potential country on the list to buy the aircraft.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Shifting sands – the Middle East’s defence landscape in flux (video)

  13th February 2025

  As Western influence wanes, Middle Eastern countries are leveraging defence modernisation to assert regional dominance, while global players such as China and Turkey seize new market opportunities. Sam Hart, Senior Land Analyst at Shephard Group, offers insights into how these developments are reshaping the region’s defence landscape.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: GA-ASI unveils the PELE air-launched UAV

  16th June 2025

  The air-launched PELE has been designed to extend the sensing capabilities of the MQ-9B and its user service through various payloads.

• Land Warfare

  Aselsan has started producing Akkor active protection system for Altay tank

  24th January 2025

  Akkor is an active protection system (APS) developed by Aselsan, equipped with both hard- and soft-kill functionalities. It provides protection against antitank missiles and rockets for armoured vehicles and is designed for Turkey’s Leopard and Altay tanks.

• Air Warfare

  IDEX 2025: China attacks the loitering munition market

  20th February 2025

  At IDEX 2025, held in Abu Dhabi this week, an array of Chinese attack UAVs, primarily loitering munitions, have been on display.

• Air Warfare

  MBDA backs British startup to continue development on heavy-lift drone

  29th April 2025

  The investment will bring together the Hybrid Drones and MBDA to enable the former to further develop its Hydra 400 UAV, previously showcased by the British Army.

• Air Warfare

  Croatia to purchase six Bayraktar TB2 drones in $95 million deal

  18th November 2024

  The drones will be used to cover radio coverage in Croatia in both stationary and mobile configurations, according to Croatia’s Minister of Defence, and will be equipped with an initial set of weapons.

• Air Warfare

  Saudi Arabia “considering its options” with potential 100 Kaan jet acquisition

  8th January 2025

  Despite local media reports, an analyst has suggested that the country could be using these discussions as a way to gain bargaining power to bolster its bid to join the Global Combat Air Programme.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Turkish Air Force]

  Programme Background First Flight & Contract Award The platform's maiden flight was completed on 20 March 2019, and it was first publicly shown at IDEF ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Cargo UAV (Turkey)

  Programme Background Inception & Requirment Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) initiated a programme to procure VTOL-capable cargo drones in June 2018. These were planned for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey)

  Programme Background  Selection The Turkish Armed Forces are purchasing large numbers of UAVs from Turkey's domestic defence industry to perform ISTAR missions and provide troops ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Turkish Navy]

  Programme Background First Flight & Contract Award The platform's maiden flight was completed on 20 March 2019, and it was first publicly shown at IDEF ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Inception Malaysia's desire to acquire a MALE UAV dates back to 2009, when it announced it would be the first country in the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Baha [Turkiye]

  Background Induction The Turkish Land Forces Command inducted an unknown quantity of Baha aircraft into service, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence announced on 25 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Songar (Turkey)

  Programme Background Requirement The Turkish MoND was considering adopting several micro and mini UAVs to equip the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF). One of the systems ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S [Kazakhstan]

  Programme Background In 2018, Shephard reported that TAI had made another effort to promote its products to Kazakstan. Three years before a contract was noted, Tamer ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Turkey]

  Programme Background Unveiling & Testing Unveiled at TEKOFEST Istanbul Aviation, Space and Technology Festival in September 2019, the Akinci completed its first flight in December 2019. In June 2021, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Naval Ambition The Indonesian Navy Admiral Muhammad Ali announced an initiative to purchase Turkish UCAVs as part of a broader strategy to enhance and develop ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Chad]

  Programme Background According to SavunmaSanayiST, reporting in April 2024, Chad received two Aksungur drones in 2024 following the Central African country's purchase of the Anka-S and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Forpost-R (Russia)

  Programme Background First Contract Recognising the value of tactical UAS during its operations in Syria, the Russian MoD identified a requirement for additional tactical UAVs. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 (Qatar)

  Programme Background In 2018 at DIMDEX, it was revealed that Qatar had bought six Bayraktar TB2 UAVs from Turkey. The deal also included three ground control stations, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MALE UAV [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Requirement Indonesia wanted to acquire or produce an MALE UAV to operate at different air bases around Indonesia to cover the archipelago.  Procurement Over Production Early ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S (Additional Units) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background First Three Drones Following years of exploring MALE UAVs and a few failed efforts, the RMAF clarified it wanted to acquire the three ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  PD170

  The PD170 is a turbodiesel engine initially developed to meet the engine requirement of Turkish Aerospace Industries' indigenous Anka UAV. Development began in December 2012 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Kargi

  The Kargi is an in-development loitering munition that Lentatek has developed in collaboration with the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK), Aselsan and Turkish Aerospace ...

• UAS: flight control systems, UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  UAV Flight Control Computer

  The UAV Flight Control Computer is being developed by the Turkish Defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi for remotely controlling uncrewed operations. It comprises a Central ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Bulut

  Launched in early 2025, the Bulut is a VTOL-capable small UAV from Havelsan. A development of the Baha, the drone is equipped with an electro-optical (EO), infrared, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur

  The Aksungur is a twin-engined MALE UAS manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces. TAI completed the platform's maiden flight on 20 March ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S

  Anka-S is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) designed to meet the requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces. The system has also been exported ...

• Artillery rockets

  TRG/TRLG-122

  The TRG-122 is a Turkish 122mm family of guided artillery rockets developed by ROKETSAN for the T-122 Sakarya and other MLRS platforms. The family includes ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Efe

  Efe is a lightweight, fixed-wing UAV designed for target acquisition. The platform was launched in 2006. 

• Trainer

  Hurkus

  Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries signed an agreement with Turkish Aerospace Industries in March 2006 for the Hurkus Turkish Basic Training Aircraft development programme. Three ...

• Air: UAS radar

  OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System

  The OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System by Turkish Meteksan Defence Inc. is a radar-based system designed for the automatic take-off and landing processes of ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  İhtar

  The İhtar is an anti-drone system manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to counter mini and micro-UAS threats in urban and rural environments. It detects and tracks ...

• Loitering munitions

  Alpagu

  The Alpagu is a fixed-wing loitering munition developed by STM. The loitering munition comes in several variants, has been designed for lightness and portability, and is ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Rotary Wing Cargo UAV

  Displayed at Paris Air Show 2023, the Rotary Wing Cargo UAV is a cargo-carrying and ISR drone manufactured by Turkish Aerospace (TAI). Powered by a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-I

  Anka-I is a SIGINT/COMINT variant of Turkey’s Anka-S and is operated by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization. The COMINT capability allows operators to track, geolocate and ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Saka

  Designed for ISR missions, the Saka is a micro-UAV manufactured by Turkish manufacturer Aselsan. With an MTOW of 600g, the rotary-wing quadcopter is easily transportable ...