Indonesia Becomes First Foreign Operator of Türkiye’s MILGEM Istif-Class Warships

In a move that redefines Southeast Asia’s naval landscape, Indonesia has officially inked a landmark deal with Türkiye for the procurement of two MILGEM Istif-class stealth frigates, marking Ankara’s first export of its next-generation warships and setting the tone for a deeper bilateral defence partnership.

Announced at the prestigious IDEF 2025 defence exhibition in Istanbul, the agreement was signed between Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence and Türkiye’s leading naval consortium, TAIS Shipyards, under the presence of Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of Turkiye Defence Industries (SSB).

The contract is reportedly valued at close to USD1 billion (RM4.7 billion), making it one of Indonesia’s most strategic naval acquisitions to date and Türkiye’s largest naval export package in history.

“At IDEF 2025, with the participation of President of Defence Industries Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, TAIS Shipyards signed contracts with Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence for two MİLGEM Istif-class frigates,” the Turkish Defence Industry Agency (SSB) announced in an official statement.

“This marks Türkiye’s first export of MİLGEM-class vessels to Indonesia and represents a significant milestone in strategic naval cooperation, bringing pride to our nations. We hope this collaboration, embodying the shared maritime defense vision of two allied nations, will be beneficial for all parties involved.”

Strategically timed amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea and renewed focus on maritime security across the Indo-Pacific, the frigate deal signals Jakarta’s intent to close its naval capability gap and deter emerging regional threats.

The Istif-class, also known as the Istanbul-class frigate, is the latest product of Türkiye’s ambitious MILGEM (National Ship) programme, representing a scaled-up, heavily armed evolution of the Ada-class corvettes currently serving in the Turkish Navy.

Designed for blue-water operations, the Istif-class boasts a larger hull at 113 meters in length, displacement of approximately 3,100 tonnes with a beam of 14.4 meters, offering 50 percent more fuel capacity and operational range than its predecessors—an ideal platform for Indonesia’s expansive maritime domain of over 17,000 islands.

The frigates are engineered for multi-domain operations and come equipped with some of the most advanced Turkish-developed weapons and sensor suites currently available for export.

At the heart of its strike capability is the 16-cell MIDLAS Vertical Launch System (VLS) with Hisar missiles air defence, capable of firing the indigenous HISAR surface-to-air missile family, enabling robust local air defence against aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles.

Complementing its anti-air warfare (AAW) profile, the frigate is armed with eight ATMACA anti-ship missiles—a supersonic, long-range alternative to the U.S.-made Harpoon—developed by Turkish missile house Roketsan.

The ATMACA missile features active radar homing and a range exceeding 220 kilometers, giving the Indonesian Navy a critical standoff strike capability in contested littoral waters.

For close-in defence, the Istif-class integrates the ASELSAN Gökdeniz Close-In Weapon System (CIWS), optimised for neutralising low-flying threats including drones and sea-skimming missiles.

Its main naval gun is the 76mm OTO Melara Super Rapid, supported by two 25mm ASELSAN STOP remote-controlled weapon stations for asymmetric threat engagements.

Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities are bolstered by two triple torpedo launchers compatible with both U.S.-standard Mk-46 Mod 5 and Türkiye’s domestic ORKA lightweight torpedoes, giving the platform multi-spectrum lethality in sub-surface engagements.

The technological core of the Istif-class is no less formidable.

Command and control is managed through the HAVELSAN ADVENT Combat Management System, developed under the Turkish Naval Forces’ supervision and providing real-time integration across sensors, weapons, and battle networks.

Surveillance and fire control are handled via the CENK-S Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, while electronic warfare and decoy systems ensure resilience in heavily contested maritime zones.

The lead ship of the class, TCG İstanbul (F-515), was commissioned into the Turkish Navy and has already set the standard for indigenous surface combatant design, with three sister ships currently under construction at Istanbul Naval Shipyard and STM/TAIS facilities.

Indonesia’s adoption of the same class marks a tectonic shift in regional defence procurement patterns, traditionally dominated by suppliers from Europe, South Korea, or Russia.

It also reflects Indonesia’s growing confidence in Türkiye’s defence industrial base, which has recently gained traction across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa through high-profile exports such as the Bayraktar TB2 drone and T129 ATAK attack helicopter.

Analysts see this deal as the first of several large-scale Indonesian procurements from Türkiye, with additional talks reportedly underway involving drone systems, naval radars, and even joint production initiatives under Indonesia’s defence offset and localisation mandates.

Jakarta’s selection of the Istif-class over competing Western or East Asian platforms underlines its desire for cutting-edge technology with generous transfer-of-technology (ToT) provisions—one of Türkiye’s biggest selling points in recent years.

With over 220 Turkish companies and 80 subcontractors contributing to the original MILGEM program, Indonesia now has access to a comprehensive ecosystem of naval support and technology collaboration.

Regionally, this acquisition could have cascading implications for other ASEAN navies, particularly those seeking modern warships amid increasing Chinese assertiveness and persistent grey-zone operations in the South China Sea.

For Türkiye, the success of this contract not only validates its naval export ambitions but also showcases its shift from regional supplier to global defence partner—particularly at a time when traditional Western suppliers face rising competition.

In an era of increasingly multipolar defence alignments, the Türkiye-Indonesia frigate deal is more than just an arms transaction—it is a strategic alignment between two emerging maritime powers asserting their sovereignty through indigenous capability development.

As the global naval industry pivots toward high-performance, modular, and export-friendly solutions, the Istif-class frigate may soon become Türkiye’s next defence export success story—following in the wake of Baykar’s drone revolution.

For Indonesia, these warships are more than tools—they are statements of intent.

In the face of a shifting Indo-Pacific security order, Jakarta is arming not just for deterrence, but for leadership.