KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will modernise its defence system by incorporating drone technology as part of a comprehensive upgrade plan, with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) set to receive its first batch of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) beginning in 2026.
Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Aug 5) that the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) had already begun enhancing its operational capabilities under the Fourth Dimension of MAF development plan, which aims to ensure the military remains formidable and respected.
“As part of this roadmap, we are modernising our defence assets, including UAV-related equipment.
“MAF already possesses such capabilities across all service branches – the army, navy and air force – to support both domestic and international military operations,” he said in response to a question from Jimmy Puah Wee Tse (PH–Tebrau).
He added that the RMAF will receive the UAVs from Turkiye under the first phase, with additional acquisitions planned in the 13th Malaysia Plan as part of the air force’s broader strategy.
“These procurements are prioritised through several strategic measures, including deliberations by the Armed Forces Development Committee and the Chiefs of Services Committee, to ensure alignment with the Future Forces Development Phase from 2026 to 2030,” he explained.
He said the integration of UAVs and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) is expected to enhance Malaysia’s defence strength across land, sea and air domains – from firepower and mobility to communication, logistics and aerial surveillance.
Responding to Puah’s supplementary question on whether the ministry was open to collaboration with Turkiye and China to develop indigenous UAVs, Adly confirmed that efforts were already underway.
“In 2024, our defence research institute began working with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) on this initiative.
“Stride (Malaysia’s Defence Ministry R&D Agency) has been the lead developer in this area, and we are identifying more local industry players to complete the ecosystem needed to support a domestic drone defence industry,” he said.
He also noted that the Defence Minister had recently visited Turkiye to explore deeper cooperation in drone and UAV technologies.
Asked by Commander (R) Nordin Ahmad Ismail (PN–Lumut) about the military’s view on adopting kamikaze drones, Adly said the ministry sees its importance in modern warfare.
“As for kamikaze drones, while our current procurement does not include them, we acknowledge their growing role in modern warfare, beyond surveillance and reconnaissance,” he said.
Adly added that Malaysia was not dismissing any potential defence technologies.
“Moving forward, we will continue strengthening the domestic drone industry as part of our national defence and sovereignty agenda,” he said.
