Turkey’s STM has signed its first European export contract for its KARGU and ALPAGU loitering munition systems, marking a new foothold for Turkish autonomous weapons in an unnamed NATO and EU member state.
Under the agreement, the rotary-wing KARGU and fixed-wing ALPAGU systems will be deployed operationally in Europe and integrated onto armored land vehicles, expanding STM’s role beyond hardware delivery into software-driven battlefield integration.
The project also includes battle management system and combat management software work, positioning STM as a systems integrator rather than a platform-only supplier.
Instead of a one-off sale, STM will work with the customer to ensure the systems align with existing doctrines, platforms, and command-and-control structures, with the aim of expanding integration across additional land vehicles after initial deployment.
STM Systems
Both systems are already in service with Turkish security forces. KARGU, introduced into the Turkish Armed Forces’ inventory in 2018, has been used in counterterrorism and cross-border operations and is capable of swarm missions and GNSS-denied operations.
ALPAGU, a lightweight fixed-wing loitering munition, is designed for rapid precision strikes against high-value targets and can be integrated across land, naval, and air platforms.
STM said its unmanned systems are now used across four continents and 15 countries, with the European contract seen as a reference point for future NATO deployments.
Turkish Defense Firms Expand Deals With NATO
STM’s entry into the European autonomous systems market follows a broader push by Turkish defense companies into NATO countries over the past several years.
In 2021, Baykar signed a contract with Poland for the sale of Bayraktar TB2 armed drones, making Warsaw the first NATO member to procure Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicles. Deliveries were completed in 2022, and the drones have since been integrated into Polish military service.
Other firms have followed. Aselsan secured contracts with multiple NATO and EU countries to supply naval and land-based electronic warfare, radar, and communications systems, including modernization packages for existing platforms.
