Türkiye and Indonesia to Co-Produce ATMACA Anti-Ship Missiles
In a major leap for Southeast Asia’s defense capabilities, Türkiye’s leading defense firm Roketsan and Indonesia’s PT Republik Defence Indonesia (RDI) signed a landmark agreement on June 11, 2025, to jointly produce the ATMACA anti-ship cruise missile. The deal, formalized during the Indo Defence 2025 exhibition in Jakarta, represents a significant step toward regional self-reliance in advanced missile technologies and a deepening of strategic cooperation between the two nations.
The ATMACA missile, developed by Roketsan, is a cutting-edge anti-ship cruise missile designed for long-range, high-precision maritime strikes. Capable of operating in all weather conditions, it uses a combination of GPS, INS, radar altimeter, and barometric sensors, with an active radar seeker guiding it to its target. It can hit moving or stationary naval targets over 250 kilometers away and is equipped with a 220 kg high-explosive fragmentation/penetration warhead. A key strength of ATMACA lies in its data link, which allows real-time mission updates, target changes, or even mission aborts while in flight, offering unmatched flexibility during operations.
Designed originally as Türkiye’s replacement for the U.S.-made Harpoon missile, ATMACA reflects Ankara’s goal of becoming self-sufficient in defense production. It has already been adopted by the Turkish Navy and successfully tested on ships such as the Ada-class corvettes. The missile is modular and can be integrated into various platforms—surface ships, patrol boats, corvettes, and potentially submarines in the future.
Indonesia’s interest in ATMACA comes at a time of increasing maritime tensions, particularly in the Natuna Islands region, where Chinese vessels have repeatedly violated Indonesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). By co-producing these advanced missiles, Indonesia is enhancing its sea-denial and anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities—key elements in modern naval strategy. The ATMACA missile gives the Indonesian Navy a strategic tool to strengthen its maritime deterrence posture while boosting the local defense industry through technology transfer and domestic production.
Unlike traditional arms procurement, this agreement sets the foundation for long-term industrial cooperation. The missile will not just be delivered but co-produced in Indonesia, opening opportunities for local assembly, potential exports, and deeper technology integration. It follows the earlier partnership between Türkiye and Indonesia on the KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet program, underlining a broader commitment to shared defense development.
Although financial terms have not been publicly disclosed, earlier reports indicated that Indonesia would acquire 45 ATMACA missiles under a contract signed in March 2024. The new joint production deal will not only increase output speed but also reduce costs per unit and build a scalable system for future production and potential exports across ASEAN and beyond.
Strategically, this move aligns Indonesia more closely with NATO-compatible defense technologies while offering an alternative to Chinese and Western systems. It positions Indonesia as a defense manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia, capable of supplying modern weapon systems to regional allies and partners. For Türkiye, it strengthens its presence in the Indo-Pacific and underscores the global appeal of its rapidly growing defense industry.
The Roketsan-PT RDI partnership thus stands as more than a missile deal—it marks the rise of a new defense alliance bridging Europe and Asia. By investing in co-production and shared innovation, both nations are laying the groundwork for a more balanced and independent regional security architecture.
