Fighter jets, frigates & drones: Turkey signs $5.85B in export deals at IDEF

ANKARA — Turkey secured more than $5.8 billion in defense export deals during last week’s IDEF 2025 arms fair in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.

“A total of 270 signing ceremonies were held during IDEF 2025, 65% of which focused on exports,” Erdogan said following a cabinet meeting in Ankara.

“The total value of the contracts signed at the fair exceeded $9 billion,” he added, putting the estimated export share at roughly $5.85 billion.

IDEF, a major biennial defense fair held July 22–27, brought together more than 900 Turkish and 400 foreign defense firms and 44 national pavilions. The event drew more than 120,000 visitors.

While not all agreements signed at the fair have been made public, major deals include sales contracts with several South Asian countries — notably Indonesia and Malaysia, both stops on Erdogan’s first foreign tour of the year, where defense cooperation topped the agenda.

Among the deals signed during IDEF was a contract finalizing last month’s preliminary agreement between Turkey and Indonesia, under which Turkey will export 48 domestically produced KAAN fighter jets. The agreement marks the first export deal for the advanced aircraft, which remains under development and is expected to enter service by the 2030s.

Another Turkish export debut involved the locally designed MILGEM-class frigates, with Ankara and Jakarta signing a contract during the fair for the sale of two warships. While the total cost was not disclosed, the deal is estimated to be worth around $1 billion.

Meanwhile, Turkish private defense contractor Katmerciler secured a deal to export an undisclosed number of its new EREN 4×4 armored vehicles to Malaysia, though the contract’s details remain under wraps.

Further expanding Ankara’s defense footprint in Asia, Turkish drone maker Baykar announced a strategic collaboration with South Korea’s Korean Air to jointly develop and produce unmanned aerial systems.

These developments come as Turkey’s defense exports hit a record $7.15 billion last year, marking a roughly 30% increase from 2022.