Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar signed its first export agreement on Wednesday for the newly unveiled Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The agreement, signed with PT Republik Aero Dirgantara, an Indonesian aerospace firm, covers a 12-drone squadron to be delivered in 2028, with options for additional aircraft and local production facilities in Indonesia.
The deal was formalised at the SAHA 2026 defence exhibition, currently under way in İstanbul.
According to Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar, the production phase of the Kızılelma - which has a combat radius of 500 nautical miles - was completed last year.
“Our goal this year is to put the Kizilelma into service for Türkiye,” Bayraktar said at the signing.
On the same day, Türkiye’s Defence Industries Secretariat (DIS) signed a procurement contract for the KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet, developed domestically by Turkish Aerospace Industries.
Formalised at the SAHA exhibition, the deal marks a significant step towards replacing the Turkish Air Force’s ageing F-16 fleet over the next five years.
“Our companies are aware of the responsibilities they have undertaken, and will deliver these products as quickly as possible,” DIS head Haluk Görgün told reporters.
Wednesday also saw the unveiling of a new electronic warfare system designed to operate alongside Türkiye’s “Steel Dome” air defence network.
Designed and manufactured by Turkish defence firm Aselsan, the Koral mobile radar platform can detect and jam enemy aircraft radars from hundreds of kilometres away.
Speaking at the exhibition, Aselsan CEO Ahmet Akyol said the advanced Koral platform was developed to address the rapidly evolving landscape of asymmetric aerial threats.
“Koral can operate at ranges of hundreds of kilometres, making it one of a very limited number of products capable of this,” Akyol said, noting that the system had entered the production phase.
Set to conclude on Friday, this year’s SAHA exhibition has brought together defence firms, procurement officials, military delegations and industry representatives from around the world.
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