Indonesia signs agreement with Türkiye to produce Çakir cruise missiles for fast naval strike program.

As reported by Breaking Defense on July 23, 2025, during IDEF 2025, Roketsan General Manager Murat İkinci and Republikorp Executive Norman Joesoef signed an agreement focused on the Çakir cruise missile. The agreement covers serial production and technology transfer to Indonesia and was made public during the second day of the exhibition. While no figures were announced regarding the number of units or financial terms, the contract aligns with Türkiye’s broader defense strategy of establishing long-term industrial partnerships rather than relying solely on arms exports. Indonesia will now likely use the Çakir cruise missile on new stealth missile boats developed by Republik Palindo.
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The Çakir’s modular design, low-altitude terrain-following flight, and anti-jam navigation make it useful for attacking targets on land and at sea, including surface vessels, coastal infrastructure, bunkers, and other fortified positions. (Picture source: Roketsan)

The Çakir missile entered mass production on July 9, 2024, after its initial rollout on March 31, 2022, at Roketsan’s Lalahan facilities. It is powered by the KTJ-1750 turbojet engine developed by Kale Arge. The air-launched version is 3.3 meters in length and weighs 275 kg, while the surface-launched version is 3.8 meters long and weighs 350 kg due to the addition of a solid-fuel booster. The missile features a 70 kg warhead, with available payloads including high-explosive, blast-fragmentation, semi-armor-piercing with particle effect, and thermobaric types. The cruise speed is between Mach 0.75 and Mach 0.85. The air-launched version has a range exceeding 150 kilometers, and the surface-launched version exceeds 100 kilometers. The guidance system integrates inertial navigation, barometric and radar altimeters, terrain-referenced navigation, and anti-jam GNSS. Terminal guidance uses imaging infrared, radio frequency, or hybrid seekers, while a two-way network data link enables in-flight updates, including redirection and mission abort.

The Çakir is compatible with a variety of platforms. It can be deployed from fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned combat aerial vehicles, unmanned surface vessels, tactical wheeled vehicles, and surface naval craft. Up to four missiles can be loaded on jets, UCAVs, or USVs, two on helicopters or cargo aircraft, and up to eight on fast attack craft. Çakir can engage land and sea targets, including surface ships, coastal infrastructure, underground bunkers, and fortified sites. It can fly at low altitudes to minimize radar detection and is designed to remain functional in the presence of GPS interference or electronic jamming. All versions are based on a modular design, allowing for shared logistics and support across different variants. These include Çakir CR for land attack, Çakir AS for anti-ship roles, Çakir LIR for electronic warfare missions, and Çakir SW for coordinated swarm attacks. The missile can execute pre-programmed 3D flight paths and terrain-following maneuvers to evade detection and enhance mission survivability.

Roketsan and Indonesian shipbuilder Republik Palindo are reportedly expected to sign a separate agreement for integrating the Çakir missile on a new class of stealth missile boats. These 20-meter carbon-fiber trimarans, which can be crewed or operated remotely, were displayed in mock-up form during Indo Defence 2025. The boats are designed to perform high-speed coastal missions with low radar visibility and can reach speeds of up to 53 knots. They are intended to operate as part of networked swarms and can carry Çakir or Atmaca missiles, a 12.7 mm gun, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The version of the Çakir missile designated for this platform is expected to include multiple warhead options, including high-explosive, armor-piercing, and thermobaric types. The stealth missile boat is reportedly equipped with a composite structure measuring 20 meters in length and 7.9 meters in width, specifically designed for shallow-water strike and interdiction operations along Indonesia’s extensive coastlines.

The Çakir missile follows earlier Roketsan deliveries of the Atmaca anti-ship missile to Indonesia. At Indo Defence 2025, Roketsan and Sefine Shipyard signed a contract to integrate the Atmaca missile system into two Indonesian KCR-70M fast attack boats. These 70-meter-long vessels, which had previously been equipped with Chinese C-705 missiles, will now each be fitted with two quad launchers for Atmaca, resulting in a total of eight launchers. Separately, the Merah Putih-class frigates under construction at PT PAL Indonesia are being equipped with Roketsan’s MIDLAS vertical launch system for Atmaca, marking the first instance of vertical launch integration for this missile. These ships are based on Babcock's Arrowhead 140 design and are part of Indonesia's modernization efforts to equip its fleet with indigenous and internationally developed weapon systems. Additional Turkish technologies, such as Aselsan’s CENK-series radars and Havelsan’s ADVENT Combat Management System, are also being integrated across the fleet.

A joint missile production facility will be established in Indonesia as part of the broader cooperation between Roketsan and the Indonesian defense industry. This agreement was first announced in April 2025 during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and includes not only the Çakir missile but also Atmaca and various smart munitions. The agreement includes full technology transfer, local infrastructure development, and specialized training for Indonesian personnel. Indonesian engineers and technicians will be trained to handle all production stages, aiming to enhance national capabilities and reduce dependency on imported weaponry. The Çakir missile's inclusion in this facility confirms its status as a key component in Indonesia’s defense modernization efforts. Earlier agreements signed in Jakarta in August 2024 also included transfers of unmanned surface vessels, air defense systems like Sungur, remote weapon stations, radars, and command systems. These agreements fall under the coordination of Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries and are supported by both governments.

Roketsan has promoted the Çakir as a complement to its other missile systems, such as Atmaca and SOM. While SOM targets long-range strike missions and Atmaca specializes in anti-ship roles, Çakir fills the role of a multi-platform, subsonic cruise missile with flexible deployment options and mid-range reach. The missile’s KTJ-1750 engine is part of the KTJ-series that includes the KTJ-3200, used in Atmaca and SOM, and is intended to provide consistent performance in various altitudes and scenarios. Compared to missiles like the U.S. Tomahawk or the Russian Kalibr, Çakir is smaller, lighter, and designed for rapid deployment. It does not carry nuclear payloads or a strategic strike range but is engineered for precision targeting and survivability in electronically contested environments. Its inclusion in Indonesia's modernization program suggests a growing focus on modular, network-enabled munitions capable of responding to regional maritime challenges, particularly in archipelagic and littoral zones.