Turkey’s defense firm STM has signed its first European export contract for the KARGU and ALPAGU loitering munition systems, marking a significant entry into NATO and EU markets. The agreement involves an unnamed European customer and goes beyond a simple hardware sale. Both systems will be integrated onto armored land vehicles and supported by battle management and combat software developed by STM. This positions the company as a systems integrator rather than solely a platform supplier. STM will work closely with the customer to ensure alignment with existing doctrines, command-and-control structures, and platforms, with plans to expand integration across additional vehicles. KARGU, in service with Turkish forces since 2018, supports swarm operations and GNSS-denied environments, while ALPAGU provides lightweight precision strike capability. STM views the contract as a reference point for future NATO deployments, reflecting the growing presence of Turkish defense firms in Europe.
