Malaysia’s AIROD and Turkey’s ASFAT have signed a significant Collaboration Framework Agreement (CFA) in Ankara. The agreement signifies a pivotal new era of cooperation between the two defense aerospace leaders. The signing ceremony saw Dato’ Edron Hayata Ahmad, Group President of AIROD, and Mr. Betülhan Kahraman, Vice President of ASFAT, formalizing the partnership. The momentous occasion was attended by Malaysia’s Minister of Defence, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Turkey’s Minister of National Defence, His Excellency Yaşar Güler. This strategic alliance underscores a robust commitment to innovation and advancement in aerospace defense capabilities.
The collaboration will particularly focus on the A400M, S-70A, CN-235, and C-130 aircraft platforms, aiming to bolster both nations’ regional and global aerospace defense standing. The partnership between ASFAT and AIROD is poised to drive significant progress within the aerospace industry, fostering mutual growth and success. The combined expertise of these two entities is expected to enhance regional capabilities, meet international standards, and further solidify the diplomatic ties between Malaysia and Turkey.
AIROD, an acronym for Aircraft Inspection, Repair & Overhaul Depot Sdn Bhd is a premier Malaysian aerospace company specializing in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. Established in 1975 to support the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), AIROD became a joint venture in 1985 between Malaysia’s National Aerospace & Defence Industries Bhd (NADI) and Lockheed Aircraft Systems International (LASI) of the US. Today, AIROD is wholly Malaysian-owned under the NADI group and serves a broad range of regional and global customers in Southeast Asia.
ASFAT Inc., known as Askeri Fabrika ve Tersane İşletme, is a Turkish state-owned defense contractor. The company under the jurisdiction of the Turkish Ministry of National Defense, which develop, manage and utilise the facilities and capabilities of the 27 ordnance factories and 3 public naval shipyards in Turkey that were previously led by the country’s Ministry of National Defense, to provide design, manufacture, maintenance, sustainment and training for global defence market.
