Malaysia Weighs Three More ANKA-S Drones From TUSAŞ

Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the purchase of three more TUSAŞ-developed ANKA-S unmanned aerial vehicles is being considered. It is a proposal; no contract has been announced.

What Is Planned

Khaled said the government is weighing three additional ANKA-S aircraft under a second phase, with the proposal to go through national development planning. The plan is reported to fall under Malaysia’s national MALE UAS programme. He had also voiced the aim in June at the Labuan air base ceremony commissioning the first three aircraft.

The Existing Fleet

The first three ANKA-S cost RM423.8 million including ground control stations and two years of personnel training, bought from TUSAŞ under a government-to-government deal signed in 2023. The ANKA-S can stay airborne for more than 24 hours and operate at 30,000 feet. The air force uses them for surveillance over the South China Sea and North Borneo area.

The Armament Question

Khaled said the ANKA-S can carry weapons but Malaysia has deliberately chosen not to arm it. Some older reports described the aircraft as armed; the minister’s later statement corrects that.

Note

The plan was also voiced in June, so recent reports may be revisiting the same proposal. No contract value or delivery schedule has been given for the extra aircraft.

Originally reported by Envanter Medya.