Türkiye Expands Its Presence in the Far East Military Shipbuilding Market

The 17th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF 2025), recently held in Istanbul, drew attention with new export contracts signed by the Turkish shipbuilding industry. Among these, the export contract signed between the Indonesian Navy and the Turkish shipbuilding group TAIS for two Istif-Class Frigates marks the latest addition to Türkiye’s military ship exports to the Far East in recent years.

For the agreement announced by the Presidency of Defence Industries of Türkiye, the following statement was made:
“This marks Türkiye’s first export of MILGEM-class vessels to Indonesia and represents a significant milestone in strategic naval cooperation, bringing pride to our nations.
We hope this collaboration, embodying the shared maritime defense vision of two allied nations, will be beneficial for all parties involved.”

At the signing ceremony, attended by the Head of Indonesia’s Defence Facilities Agency, Air Marshal Yusuf Jauhari, and Indonesia’s Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, a contract was signed between Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilding company PT PAL and the Turkish shipbuilding consortium TAIS for the procurement of two MILGEM Istif-Class frigates.

Türkiye Becomes a Global Military Shipbuilder

In recent years, Türkiye has shown a remarkable rise on a global scale through its naval defense exports. Increasing diplomatic engagements, naval visits, and export initiatives in the Far East demonstrate Ankara’s intention to position itself not only as a weapons supplier but also as a power projection actor in the region.
This goal is directly linked to the commercial efforts of Turkish defense companies. State-supported entities such as STM and ASFAT, along with private sector players like Dearsan Shipyard, Desan Shipyard, and the TAIS consortium, have actively participated in defense exhibitions held in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, promoting indigenous platforms like Ada-class corvettes, Istif-Class frigates, and other locally designed naval vessels.

One of the most notable developments in this context was the 2024 Far East deployment of the Turkish Navy’s TCG Kınalıada corvette. Covering 23 ports and lasting approximately 4.5 months, this mission commemorated the 100th anniversary of Türkiye–Japan diplomatic relations and the anniversary of the 1890 Ertuğrul Frigate tragedy. However, beyond symbolic commemorations, the primary significance of the voyage lies in the port visits to countries such as the Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, and Japan, showcasing Turkish naval strength while also signaling Türkiye’s intention to deepen defense industry cooperation with regional countries.

Similarly, another Ada-class corvette of the Turkish Navy, TCG Büyükada, carried out port visits in regional countries as part of a 3.5-month mission to attend the 17th Langkawi International Maritime, Aerospace and Aviation Exhibition (LIMA 2025) in Malaysia.

Indonesia and Türkiye Continue Naval Cooperation

The contract signed between Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence and Turkish shipbuilding group TAIS for two Istif-Class frigates marks the third major military naval project conducted between Indonesia and Türkiye. Indonesia previously signed a contract with TAIS for the construction of two 70-meter fast attack craft. Construction of the vessels, with the first steel cut at TAIS consortium partner Safine Shipyard in October 2024, is ongoing.

Another ongoing joint shipbuilding program involves the integration of Turkish-made weapons, sensors, and management systems into Indonesia’s customized variant of the UK’s Type-31 frigates, named the Merah Putih class.
The frigate’s equipment will categorize as “Equipped with, But Not Equipped with” (FFBNW) and “Main Contract Equipment” with most weapons and sensors supplied by the Turkish companies Aselsan, Meteksan, Roketsan and Havelsan.

The Main Contract Equipment includes:
• Aselsan Mete Han AESA multi-function radar
• Aselsan CENK-200-N 3D X-band air and surface surveillance and helicopter approach radar
• Aselsan AKREP-100/200 fire control radars
• Aselsan FERSAH hull-mounted sonar
• Havelsan GENESIS ADVENT Combat Management System and Combat Information Center
• Aselsan Target Designation Sights
• Aselsan KARTACA-N six-tube 130mm decoy launching systems

The FFBNW systems include:
• Aselsan CENK 400-N 3D S-band AESA long-range air and surface surveillance radar
• Roketsan MİDLAS Universal Vertical Launching System

Indonesia has also chosen Havelsan’s GENESIS ADVENT Combat Management System and Aselsan’s radar and electronic systems for its domestically built 60-meter Belati-class fast attack craft and 90-meter offshore patrol vessels.
The first ship of the Belati-class, KRI Belati (622), is currently undergoing outfitting with the Aselsan-built CENK-200-N and Havelsan’s GENESIS ADVENT Combat Management System.

Royal Malaysian Navy Strengthens Its Fleet with Turkish-Built Ships

Another successful chapter in Türkiye’s naval export efforts in the Far East is Malaysia. Turkish shipbuilder STM signed a contract with the Malaysian Ministry of Defence in June 2024 to construct three littoral mission ships under the LMS Batch 2 Project. The ships, to be developed based on the MİLGEM Ada-class corvettes, will be built in Türkiye.

The systems to be integrated into these ships include:

• MKE Denizhan 76mm naval gun
• Aselsan 30mm Muhafiz remote controlled stabilized gun system
• Roketsan Atmaca anti-ship missile
• Aselsan CENK-200-N 3D X-band air and surface surveillance and helicopter approach radar
• Aselsan ARES-2D electronic support system
• Aselsan AKREP-100/200 fire control radars
• Havelsan GENESIS ADVENT Combat Management System
• Havelsan 76mm gun fire control system
• Aselsan chaff decoy system
• Aselsan identification friend or foe system

The Royal Malaysian Navy has indicated that while the LMS Batch 2 Project initially covers the construction of three vessels, a total of eight ships are planned to be procured. It is expected that the remaining five ships may be built in Malaysia with Turkish support and under the supervision of Turkish companies.
The specifications of these ships are as follows:

• Length: 99.56 meters
• Width: 14.42 meters
• Draft: 3.94 meters
• Displacement: about 2,500 tons
• Maximum speed: about 26 knots
• Cruising speed: 14 knots
• Range: 4,000-plus nautical miles at 14 knots
• Personnel capacity: 111
• Endurance: 14 days

It is also reported that the Royal Malaysian Navy is working with leading Turkish companies Aselsan, Havelsan, and Roketsan to modernize its Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels with new-generation radar, combat management systems, and Atmaca anti-ship missiles. While no official statements have been made by either country, the existing relationships and ongoing projects suggest that Turkish companies are likely candidates for the modernization efforts.

The Malaysian Coast Guard also signed an agreement last year with another Turkish company, Desan Shipyard, for the construction of one Multi-Purpose Mission Ship. The ship, to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2027 under a contract signed on February 12, 2024, will be 99 meters long and designed for uninterrupted missions lasting up to 30 days.

It will be equipped with four Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC), two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a helicopter pad, medical facilities, and a detention center. With a crew capacity of 70 and room for up to 30 passengers, the vessel will serve in addressing critical issues such as foreign vessel intrusions, illegal fishing, smuggling, and human trafficking in the region

Türkiye Emerges as a Key Player in Military Shipbuilding

Türkiye is rapidly becoming a preferred player in the global military shipbuilding market. Its fast and cost-effective production capacity, combined with NATO-standard weapon, sensor, and management system solutions, positions Türkiye as a strong competitor.

Fully indigenously developed weapon systems and sensor solutions offer an attractive option for countries seeking strategic autonomy. Türkiye’s openness to technology transfer also sets it apart from major manufacturing countries by allowing user countries to enhance their own production capabilities and integrate them into the built vessels. This indicates Ankara’s intent not only to sell products but also to build long-term strategic partnerships.

As of the end of 2024, Türkiye’s defense and aerospace exports exceeded 7.15 billion USD, with naval sales taking up an increasingly larger share of this total. Following the export of Ada-class corvettes to Pakistan and Ukraine, a similar sphere of influence is now emerging in the Far East, signaling a new phase in Türkiye’s “quiet yet effective” power projection through naval forces.

In 2024, the Asia-Pacific military naval market was valued between 41–47 billion USD. With China’s efforts to expand its regional influence, counterbalancing policies by the U.S. and its allies, and competition-based regional tensions, this market is expected to nearly double to 83–96 billion USD by 2029–2030.
Türkiye continues its efforts to position its rapidly developing military shipbuilding capabilities within this growing market by leveraging diplomatic relations and local partnerships with regional countries.

In a recent statement, Türkiye’s Ministry of Defence announced that 31 different military shipbuilding projects are being conducted simultaneously, highlighting the country’s substantial shipbuilding capacity.
This capability not only opens new windows of opportunity for Türkiye and Far Eastern countries but also allows Türkiye to stand out among European and Asian competitors in the field of military shipbuilding.