Kuala lumpur: Malaysia is expected to receive the Turkish-made ANKA Medium Altitude Long Endurance-Unmanned Aerial System (MALE-UAS) by March 2026, as announced by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. The ANKA MALE-UAS, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), is currently undergoing radar system integration and radio communication installation, utilizing equipment sourced from Germany.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) officers who will operate the ANKA are currently undergoing training with the supplier. Mohamed Khaled emphasized that operational training is provided by the supplying company when acquiring assets like the ANKA. He also mentioned the potential for acquiring additional ANKA MALE-UAS units, indicating that future procurement of defence assets will be determined by the government based on the 13th Malaysia Plan, which is set to be tabled on July 31.

The Defence Ministry and TAI signed the contract for the procurement of three units of the ANKA MALE-UAS, along with associated support equipment, during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in May 2023. Malaysia is believed to have selected the ANKA-S variant, which can operate at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet for 24 to 30 hours and has a payload capacity ranging from 250 to 350 kilogrammes.

In addition to their Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, the advanced ANKA MALE-UAS could also be equipped with four MAM Smart Micro Missiles, developed by Trkiye's defence company ROKETSAN, for precision ground-attack missions.

Mohamed Khaled, who concluded a three-day official visit to Trkiye, attended the 2025 International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) and inspected the construction of the second batch of three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) by Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM).