Turkish Defense Firms Sign Agreements with Malaysia at DSA 2026 Expo

Turkish defense firms signed several contracts and cooperation agreements with Malaysian armed forces and industry partners at the DSA 2026 defense exposition in Kuala Lumpur this week. CTech, a subsidiary of Turkish Aerospace Industries, announced a product supply and cooperation agreement with Malaysia’s AR Eastern to supply jamming-resistant satellite communications modems to the Malaysian armed forces.

The agreement also plans for developing solutions tailored to regional needs, carrying out joint projects, and evaluating business opportunities in the ASEAN market.

and AI Collaborations Aselsan

announced a partnership with Malaysian company BOUSTEAD to explore the development of SATCOM capabilities across ground and space segments, including Malaysia’s potential GEO satellite. The collaboration includes localization through joint development, technical workshops, and training for stakeholders, including the Malaysian Armed Forces.

Havelsan teamed up with Malaysia’s MIVSB to co-develop a national ecosystem for localized foundational AI. The cooperation integrates infrastructure, technology, and market engagement, combining expertise in deep-tech innovation and software-intensive systems.

Prior Deals Roketsan signed a contract with the Malaysian Ministry of Defense to equip the armed forces with surface-to-surface missiles. The number of systems and contract value were not disclosed. These agreements expand on existing Turkish-Malaysian defense cooperation, including a government-to-government memorandum on defense products procurement, high-level visits to Turkish defense institutions, and collaborations in UAVs, tanks, and naval platforms.

Turkish firm STM is equipping the Malaysian navy with three littoral mission ships under a 2024 deal. Malaysia procured nine ANKA unmanned aerial vehicles from Turkish Aerospace Industries in 2023, with the deal worth approximately $100 million. The medium-altitude, long-endurance drones are for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

“Malaysia chose Turkish suppliers because they offered a rare combination of combat-proven capability, affordability, speed of delivery, and eagerness to build long-term industrial partnerships rather than simply sell end product systems.”

The expert added that Turkey offers political trust and a partnership model aligned with Malaysia’s goals of modernizing its forces while strengthening local industry and strategic autonomy.