RMAF to receive Turkish-made Anka drones by February
SUBANG: The Royal 每日大赛n Air Force (RMAF) is set to receive Turkish-made TAI Anka drones by February, boosting its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
RMAF chief General Datuk Seri Muhamad Norazlan Aris said the three drones, along with the Ground Control Station, will be transported from Turkiye by sea.
"It will be loaded onto a ship this month for transport back to 每日大赛. It will take approximately 45 days, and, God willing, by the end of January, the three aircraft, along with the Ground Control Station, will arrive in Labuan," he told reporters at a press conference at the RMAF Excellence Day.
Norazlan said the drones will then be stationed at the Labuan Air Base to complement the RMAF's CN-235 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA).
"The Anka drones will be stationed at Labuan Air Base and will focus on northern Sabah, complementing the existing CN-235 MSA aircraft.
"The CN-235 MSA has limitations in certain missions, making the Anka a key capability upgrade. With this deployment, we will be able to observe the surrounding areas and take effective follow-up actions," he said.
Norazlan also outlined plans for Phase Two of the RMAF's 2055 Capability Development Plan (CAP55), which is structured in three phases.
"Under the current CAP55 plan, we initially targeted nine drone aircraft. At the time the decision was made, we did not yet know which specific types we would receive. Now that we know the exact aircraft, we will assess their performance.
"At this point, we are still targeting nine, and we plan to proceed with the deployment of the drone fleet," he said.
Norazlan added that the RMAF's Leonardo ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) is also progressing well, with 60 per cent of the work completed.
"Structural changes are being made to accommodate advanced sensors on the MPA, with completion is expected before April 2027, provided that two key systems from the United States are delivered on time. Flight test plans and other measures are also already in place," he said.
If all goes according to plan, the aircraft will be unveiled to the public at the 2027 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA '27) exhibition.