Türkiye’s Defence Diplomacy in Southeast Asia 2025
Summary of Defense Relationships in Southeast Asia: Malaysia & Philippines with Türkiye
This text details the growing defense relationships between Türkiye adn two Southeast Asian nations: malaysia and the philippines. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
malaysia:
* LMS Program & China: Malaysia initially purchased four Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) from China, but opted not to purchase a second batch, likely due to increased tensions in the South China Sea.
* MPMS with Türkiye: Malaysia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Türkiye for the construction of a Multi-Purpose Mission ship (MPMS) for its coastguard (MMEA).This ship, costing $68 million, will focus on surveillance in the South China Sea, addressing issues like illegal fishing and intrusions.
* MRSS Competition: Türkiye’s STM is bidding for a contract to build three Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSS) for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), facing competition from South Korea, Indonesia, and Italy.
* Potential Fighter Jet Deal: Turkish Aerospace industries (TAI) has offered the kaan fighter jet to Malaysia. Malaysia previously suspended a program (MRCA) to replace its aging fighter fleet due to economic issues, but purchased FA-50s as a temporary solution. The kaan could be considered when the MRCA program restarts.
Philippines:
* Horizon Modernization Program: The Philippines is undergoing a major defense modernization program (Horizon) seeking missile systems, OPVs, fighter jets, and submarines.
* Existing Turkish Contracts: Türkiye is already a important arms supplier to the Philippines, ranking as its 20th largest overall customer and 3rd largest in Southeast Asia.
* Significant 2020 Deal: A $270 million contract in 2020 saw the Philippines purchase six Kunduz armored engineering bulldozers,six Saber IFVs,and six T-129B ATAK combat helicopters. The T-129B was chosen over US alternatives due to lower price and operational costs.
* Recent Machine Gun Contract: The Philippine Navy recently signed a $641,000 contract with Sarsilmaz (Türkiye) for heavy machine guns for its new Landing Platform Dock ships.
Overall Trends:
* Türkiye’s Growing Influence: Türkiye is increasing its share of the global arms market, including in Southeast Asia.
* Diversification of Suppliers: The text suggests this growth is driven by countries in the Global South seeking to diversify their arms suppliers.
In essence, the text highlights Türkiye’s prosperous efforts to establish itself as a key defense partner for both malaysia and the Philippines, offering competitive pricing and viable alternatives to customary Western suppliers.