Malaysia Launches New South China Sea ‘Eyes and Ears’: RMAF Flies ANKA-THS Drone For First Time From Labuan

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), through No. 11 Squadron, has marked a major milestone in its modernization programme after successfully conducting the maiden flight of the ANKA-THS unmanned aerial system at Labuan Air Base yesterday afternoon.

The ANKA unmanned aircraft system is classified as a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) platform.

According to an RMAF social media statement released today, the three-hour test flight formed part of the final preparations before the new asset is formally handed over to the service.

“The success of the ANKA-THS maiden flight is the result of close cooperation and precise coordination between Air Operations Command Headquarters, Air Region 2 Headquarters, Planning and Development Branch, Labuan Air Base, as well as other agencies such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), Defence Geospatial Division, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia).”

Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the ANKA-THS system is expected to significantly strengthen the RMAF’s Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability in carrying out strategic monitoring operations across Eastern Malaysia and other national interest areas, particularly the South China Sea.

The aircraft is capable of conducting highly accurate surveillance in all weather conditions, day and night, with an endurance exceeding 20 hours.

The platform forms part of Phase One of Malaysia’s National Defence Strategic Procurement Plan under the 12th Malaysia Plan and is aligned with the RMAF’s long-term capability development roadmap under CAP55.

The acquisition of the new asset will directly improve the ability of the RMAF and the Malaysian Armed Forces to conduct strategic surveillance, maritime monitoring and intelligence collection operations, further reinforcing national defence readiness and sovereignty.

The contract for the acquisition of three ANKA MALE-UAS platforms together with associated support equipment was signed between the Ministry of Defence and TAI during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023.

The ANKA unmanned aircraft system acquired by Malaysia is expected to play a central role in monitoring operations over the South China Sea.

Malaysia has said that the newly acquired ANKA MALE-UAS will be based at Labuan Air Base, where it will function as the country’s “eyes and ears,” monitoring foreign incursions into national waters, particularly within Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the South China Sea, which is also the country’s principal offshore oil and gas region.

Former Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan previously emphasized the importance of equipping the country with a comprehensive surveillance capability and the need to possess “eyes to see and ears to hear” everything taking place within Malaysia’s waters, especially in the South China Sea.

“The three MALE drones that we have acquired will be deployed to the South China Sea. We must have the capability of eyes and ears. Our eyes must have the ability to see as far as 350 kilometres from the coast,” he said.

According to him, the country must know what is happening in the South China Sea before it happens.

Malaysia is believed to have selected the ANKA-S variant, which is capable of operating at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet for between 24 and 30 hours, while carrying payloads weighing between 250 and 350 kilograms.

The ANKA-S conducted its maiden flight in September 2016 before entering serial production the following year.

The first two ANKA-S systems were delivered to the Turkish Air Force in February 2018, followed by additional deliveries thereafter.

The ANKA-S MALE-UAS features a composite airframe integrated with a domestically developed autonomous flight control computer, enabling waypoint navigation and fully autonomous flight operations.

The autonomous flight control system also allows the aircraft to automatically return to a pre-designated location in the event that communications with its ground control station are lost.

Equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) radar, the ANKA-S can detect, identify and track both stationary and moving targets.

Synthetic Aperture Radar allows the ANKA-S to generate high-resolution imagery, detect moving ground targets and operate in all-weather conditions both day and night.

Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar is optimized for imaging moving maritime targets, distinguishing between different classes of vessels and enhancing the aircraft’s strategic maritime surveillance capability.

Ground Moving Target Indicator radar is designed to detect, track and classify moving land targets such as armored vehicles, logistics trucks and military convoys.

Through its advanced radar suite, GMTI enables the unmanned aircraft to identify hostile movement in real time, greatly improving situational awareness and military operational effectiveness.

In addition to carrying out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, the ANKA-S is also capable of carrying four MAM Smart Micro precision-guided munitions for ground attack missions.

The MAM Smart Micro family of munitions is developed by Turkish defence company Roketsan.

Roketsan designed the MAM as a lightweight smart weapon for UAVs, light aircraft and other airborne platforms, featuring an operational range of between eight and 14 kilometres, laser or GPS/INS guidance, armour-penetration capability and effectiveness against both land and maritime targets.

With a payload capacity exceeding 200 kilograms, the ANKA-S is able to perform a broad range of missions depending on the equipment and weapons carried.

The aircraft can conduct real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, communications relay, target acquisition and target tracking operations.

It is also equipped with an electro-optical and infrared camera suite capable of capturing high-resolution imagery and video in all weather conditions, in addition to an Identification Friend or Foe system, laser designator and laser rangefinder.

Inside the aircraft’s radome is a high-powered ViaSat VR-18C airborne satellite communications antenna, providing secure beyond-line-of-sight communications.

The ANKA-S is powered by the indigenous PD170 turboprop engine developed by Turkish Engine Industries under a contract awarded by TAI in 2014.

The engine operates on both diesel and JP-8 jet fuel and generates a maximum output of 150 horsepower.

The ANKA entered service with the Turkish Air Force in 2017 and has since participated in numerous combat operations, including in Syria, Iraq and Libya.

The ANKA development programme also involved cooperation with major Turkish defence companies including Aselsan, AYESAS, Havelsan and C2TECH in the supply of subsystems and payload integration.

To date, the ANKA fleet has accumulated more than 200,000 flight hours and undergone multiple upgrades, including engine replacement, radar enhancements and the integration of Synthetic Aperture Radar to improve operational effectiveness.

The programme also possesses a very high level of local content, including the use of the TEI-PD170 engine developed by Turkish Engine Industries, replacing the German-built engine used during the programme’s early stages.

This achievement has not only strengthened Türkiye’s defence industry but has also established the ANKA-S as one of the country’s most important strategic UAV systems for modern military operations.

READ: Malaysia to Bolster Aerial Defence with Imminent ANKA MALE-UAS Deployment — Turkish Ambassador

Strategic Impact Of ANKA-S Operations From Labuan Air Base

If the Turkish-built ANKA-S operates from Labuan Air Base as reported, it will have a profound effect on the regional balance of security, defence and geopolitics, particularly in the increasingly contested South China Sea.

With an endurance exceeding 24 continuous hours, the ANKA-S gives Malaysia the ability to sustain long-range aerial patrols at a fraction of the cost of deploying fighter aircraft.

This endurance allows the aircraft to monitor Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the South China Sea, an area frequently entered by foreign coast guard vessels, armed fishing fleets and military assets seeking to test Malaysia’s level of readiness.

Operationally, the presence of the ANKA-S provides Malaysia with what military planners describe as a persistent ISR capability, allowing continuous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage without the need to rotate aircraft or reduce operational tempo.

Equipped with Synthetic Aperture Radar, Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar and Ground Moving Target Indicator radar, the ANKA-S can operate day and night and in all weather conditions, making it an exceptionally effective platform for strategic surveillance.

SAR enables the aircraft to produce high-resolution imagery even through heavy cloud cover or rain, while ISAR specializes in maritime target surveillance with the ability to distinguish between frigates, merchant vessels and armed fast boats.

GMTI, meanwhile, enables the aircraft to track moving targets, a capability that provides substantial tactical value in both combat operations and border security missions.

Operating from Labuan also provides a highly strategic geographical advantage because the base lies close to both the Sulu Sea and Sulawesi Sea, regions long exposed to threats from kidnapping, smuggling and militant activity.

With the ANKA-S sensor suite and radar coverage, suspicious movements across eastern Sabah can be detected far earlier, while real-time data can be transmitted directly to the Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysian Navy and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency for immediate response.

More importantly, the ANKA-S is not solely a surveillance platform but is also capable of carrying out precision strikes through the integration of Roketsan-developed MAM-L and MAM-C guided munitions.

These lightweight but powerful weapons possess an engagement range of between eight and 14 kilometres and are capable of penetrating armored vehicles, destroying defensive positions and neutralizing fast attack craft, transforming the ANKA-S into a combat asset able to eliminate high-value threats at far lower cost.

The operating cost of the drone is only a fraction of that required for fighter aircraft, making it a force multiplier for the RMAF in closing airborne surveillance gaps and maintaining operational pressure on potential adversaries.

From a geostrategic perspective, the deployment of the ANKA-S to Labuan sends a clear message that Malaysia is serious about defending its maritime sovereignty in the South China Sea, now the principal arena of strategic competition between the United States and China.

As China continues to strengthen its presence across the Spratly Islands through the construction of military facilities and the deployment of anti-ship missiles and long-range radar systems, Malaysia requires an ISR platform capable of consistently tracking such developments.

Regional states such as the Philippines and Vietnam, which are also involved in overlapping claims in the South China Sea, are likely to view Malaysia’s move as a significant capability enhancement capable of altering the regional security calculus.

The operation of the ANKA-S from Labuan will also improve Malaysia’s interoperability with friendly countries that already operate advanced UAV systems, creating new opportunities for intelligence sharing and combined operations.

In geopolitical terms, the presence of the aircraft provides Malaysia with greater leverage in diplomatic negotiations over South China Sea issues because it demonstrates that the country possesses the means to monitor and defend its own territory.

From a military doctrine perspective, the deployment of the ANKA-S marks Malaysia’s transition toward the use of high-technology assets that combine ISR capability with precision-strike functionality, in line with the broader trend of modern warfare centred on information dominance and long-range precision engagement.

Ultimately, if the ANKA-S is permanently stationed at Labuan Air Base, it will reshape Malaysia’s security landscape by closing critical gaps in aerial surveillance, delivering real-time intelligence, strengthening inter-agency operations and sending a strategic signal to major powers and neighbouring states that Malaysia is prepared to defend its maritime interests against any threat.