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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Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a wartime election, arguing that holding a vote while Russia's full-scale invasion continues would divide the country and undermine national unity.
A newly created pro-government political party has secured a commanding victory in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls, strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's influence at a pivotal moment in the country's political transition.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffic through the key energy chokepoint.
A newly created pro-government political party has secured a commanding victory in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls, strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's influence at a pivotal moment in the country's political transition.
Kazakhstan has concluded its first election to the new unicameral Kurultai, with turnout reaching 74.19 per cent, as vote counting begins following a major overhaul of the country’s parliamentary system.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Syria has called for international action after an Israeli drone strike hit a civilian vehicle near Damascus, warning that continued Israeli attacks could deepen instability and put civilians at greater risk.
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