STM has entered the European defense market with its first export deal for autonomous loitering munitions, signing a contract to supply KARGU and ALPAGU systems to an undisclosed NATO and European Union member country. The agreement marks a major step in expanding Turkey’s defense industry footprint within Europe’s autonomous systems sector.
The contract covers not only the delivery of the rotary-wing KARGU and fixed-wing ALPAGU loitering munitions, but also their integration onto armored land vehicles for frontline operations. STM will also deliver battle management and combat management software, highlighting a shift toward end-to-end system integration rather than standalone platform sales.
According to STM, the project emphasizes close cooperation with the customer to ensure compatibility with existing operational concepts, vehicle fleets, and command-and-control architectures. Following initial deployment, the company aims to expand integration to additional vehicle platforms, reinforcing STM’s role as a long-term technology partner.
Both KARGU and ALPAGU are combat-proven systems within the Turkish Armed Forces. KARGU supports autonomous and swarm missions in contested environments, while ALPAGU provides precision loitering strike capability against time-sensitive targets. STM said the European contract builds on a broader trend of Turkish defense exports to NATO countries, following earlier milestones such as Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 sale to Poland and ASELSAN’s delivery of electronic warfare, radar, and communications systems to multiple NATO and EU members.
