A representative of Turkish Aerospace at the 2025 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition told Naval News that the initial training for the first Royal Malaysian Air Force Anka-S drone operators has been completed, with all three Anka-S airframes completed as well. According to the representative, program progress is well on schedule for the delivery of the drones by the end of this year.
Also during the exhibition, Turkish Aerospace formally accepted the hangar of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s No 11 Squadron from its Malaysian partner G7 Aerospace. The hangar at Labuan Air Base was upgraded over the past 12 months by G7 Aerospace to support the basing of the Anka UAVs there, with G7 Aerospace also partnering with Turkish Aerospace for the installation of ground support equipment as part of the industrial cooperation program for the Anka purchase.
According to a G7 Aerospace statement to the Asian Defence Journal, its work with Turkish Aerospace on the Anka project serves as the basis of a “long term partnership” for future offerings of Turkish Aerospace products to the Malaysian military and other regional militaries, ranging from additional Ankas through the KAAN stealth fighter currently under development by Turkish Aerospace.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force signed a contract for the purchase of three Anka UAVs at the 2023 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition. The Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Ankas will be operated as unarmed maritime surveillance platforms, with their basing in Labuan allowing coverage of both the South China Sea and Malaysia’s maritime border with the Philippines. Malaysian Anka UAVs are understood to have specialized sensors and a modified wing configuration to support their maritime patrol mission.
A Royal Malaysian Air Force representative that spoke with Naval News added that the Air Force is now considering standing up a second squadron operating the Anka or a similar drone, with this second squadron to be based in Sabah should the plans proceed.
Alternate Maritime Patrol Aircraft Bases Under Consideration
While the representative did not have any new information to share on progress with the ATR 72-based P-72M maritime patrol aircraft on order from Leonardo, they indicated that the Royal Malaysian Air Force was exploring additional or alternative bases for the P-72Ms in both Peninsular and Eastern Malaysia in addition to their currently planned home base at Kuantan, on the eastern coast of the Malayan Peninsula.
Following a visit to Leonardo’s Turin assembly facility for the P-72Ms during a two-day official visit to the Italian city that started on May 11, Malaysian Defense Minister Khaled Nordin said work on the first maritime patrol aircraft was already over 60% complete and was progressing on schedule for delivery at the end of 2026. Khaled also confirmed that the P-72Ms will be equipped for anti-submarine warfare missions, making them the first ATR 72-derived maritime patrol aircraft with such a capability.
Like the Ankas, the purchase of the P-72Ms was announced during the 2023 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition. The Royal Malaysian Air Force’s designation of the aircraft as P-72Ms was revealed at the Defense Security Asia 2024 exhibition, with subsequent statements by the Air Force and Malaysian defense ministry confirming the designation’s use.
