UAV Joint Venture Indonesia: Baykar and Republikorp Agreement
**The recent agreement between Baykar, a prominent player in UAV technology, and Indonesia’s Republikorp marks a significant step in Indonesia’s defense sector. This partnership will lead to the establishment of a Joint Venture Company (JVC) dedicated to the production, assembly, and maintenance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within Indonesia. The agreement was signed during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s official visit to Indonesia, following his trip to Malaysia, highlighting the growing ties between the two nations.**
The signing ceremony took place at the Bogor Presidential Palace, where Erdoğan met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. During this important meeting, both leaders discussed various aspects of defense cooperation, culminating in the signing of 13 agreements, including those related to the procurement of advanced UAV systems from Baykar, specifically the AKINCI TİHA and Bayraktar TB3 SİHAs.
According to reports from JawaPos, the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) emphasizes a mutual commitment to bolster local defense capabilities through technology transfer and local production. The partnership will focus on localizing the production of 60 sets of Bayraktar TB3 SİHAs and 9 sets of AKINCI TİHAs, which are essential for enhancing Indonesia’s defense operations.
Each UAV system incorporates ground support and components necessary for four air vehicles, suggesting that Indonesia could potentially procure around 240 TB3 SİHAs and 36 AKINCI TİHAs. This significant scale of procurement indicates a robust investment in the country’s aerial defense capabilities.
Baykar will play a vital role in this collaboration by providing its expertise in production, technology transfer, and training to local partners. Meanwhile, Republikorp will handle essential tasks such as regulatory compliance, infrastructure development, certification of local specialists, and the seamless integration of UAVs into Indonesia’s defense framework.
This Joint Venture not only aims to enhance Indonesia’s capabilities in national security and defense operations but also opens avenues for innovation and research in UAV technology at a regional level. Furthermore, Indonesia has expressed interest in developing aircraft carrier plans that would utilize Turkish UAVs, signaling a broader ambition in advancing its military capabilities.
