As the Indo-Pacific region experiences growing instability driven by great power competition, especially in the South China Sea, Malaysia must adapt its defence strategy to respond to emerging threats.
Rather than pursuing costly
conventional weapons, Malaysia has a unique opportunity to enhance its military
readiness through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and drone
technology. This dual strategy provides a cost-effective, agile, and non-escalatory
means of securing national interests while preserving its diplomatic neutrality
and regional credibility.
Malaysia’s defence strategy is
increasingly pivoting toward unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In June 2025, the
Royal Malaysian Air Force acquired three Turkish-made Anka-S drones i.e. medium-altitude,
long-endurance (MALE) UAVs equipped with synthetic aperture radar,
electro-optical/infrared sensors, and secure satellite communications. Based in
Labuan, these unarmed drones are primarily deployed for surveillance operations
over Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
This approach allows Malaysia to
assert maritime sovereignty, especially in disputed waters, without provoking
regional tensions. Malaysia is also working to localize drone development by
collaborating with nations such as South Korea and China, while developing
domestic UAV production capabilities through partnerships with universities and
technical institutions. The goal is to manufacture thousands of drones
annually, integrating them into both civilian and military uses.
However, drones alone are not
enough. The real transformative potential lies in integrating AI into military
operations. AI-driven systems can process vast streams of sensor data in real
time, enabling rapid detection, classification, and response to potential
threats.
These include identifying hostile
vessels or aircraft, tracking illegal fishing, or detecting suspicious maritime
activity. AI can also coordinate multiple drones to operate in autonomous
swarms sharing tasks like surveillance, signal jamming, or area denial. This
swarm capability provides a force multiplier, allowing Malaysia to cover wide
areas of ocean with minimal human input.
Further, AI can be used in
decision-support systems for military commanders. Inspired by the U.S.
Department of Defence’s “Thunderforge” initiative where Scale AI is a key
partner, Malaysia could explore similar AI tools to assist in generating
operational plans, simulating battlefield scenarios, and prioritizing threats,
all while ensuring that human decision-makers remain fully in control.
This kind of smart
command-and-control infrastructure ensures better preparedness and quicker
responses, especially in contested or fast-changing environments like the South
China Sea.
Neighbouring countries offer
useful models. Taiwan has developed loitering drones with AI targeting, India’s
“Akashteer” program uses AI to coordinate counter-drone warfare across hundreds
of kilometres, and AUKUS nations have tested multi-drone systems that adapt in
real-time to electronic warfare.
While Malaysia has not yet
embraced armed drones, these developments show the technological direction of
regional militaries. For Malaysia, a measured approach prioritizing
surveillance and deterrence while staying within international law is both
viable and strategically wise.
To fully realize these
capabilities, Malaysia must develop a strong national AI-drone ecosystem. This
means investing in homegrown research, engineering, and manufacturing.
Drone-specific AI frameworks should be developed in collaboration with defence
contractors, start-ups, and universities.
Ethical frameworks and governance
structures must be established to ensure that AI systems remain under
meaningful human control, comply with humanitarian law, and avoid misuse.
ASEAN’s ongoing efforts to shape regional AI norms can guide Malaysia’s approach,
balancing innovation with responsibility.
The future of defence is not just
about firepower, it’s about information, intelligence, and interoperability.
Malaysia must ensure that its drones and AI systems are not siloed, but
integrated across naval, air, and ground forces.
For example, drone swarms could
relay real-time video to navy vessels, while AI systems track and flag
suspicious movement along maritime borders. Edge computing devices onboard
drones can process data locally, minimizing delays caused by remote command centres.
This kind of seamless, multi-domain integration is crucial for fast, adaptive
operations in a crisis.
Importantly, Malaysia must not
lose sight of its strategic identity as a neutral and peace-oriented nation.
Drones and AI should not be tools of provocation but instruments of vigilance
and deterrence.
By maintaining unarmed drone
deployments, emphasizing surveillance over strike capabilities, and using AI
for defensive planning, Malaysia can strengthen its position without becoming
entangled in the escalating militarization of the region.
This approach allows Malaysia to
assert its rights under international law, monitor its waters against
encroachment or criminal activity, and coordinate better with regional partners
on maritime safety.
In the long run, Malaysia can
take the lead in shaping an ASEAN-wide doctrine for AI and drone cooperation.
This could include shared surveillance protocols, disaster response
coordination, and collective counter-UAV strategies.
By promoting interoperability,
transparency, and civilian-military integration, Malaysia would contribute to
regional stability without becoming dependent on any external bloc.
As global militaries enter the
age of autonomous systems and algorithmic warfare, Malaysia must not be left
behind. Through careful investment in AI, drone technology, and regional
cooperation, Malaysia can build a modern defence force that is smart, agile,
and ethically grounded.
The goal is not domination but
assurance guarding sovereignty with intelligence and preparing for conflict
without seeking it. In the contested waters and skies of the Indo-Pacific,
Malaysia’s best defence may lie not in missiles, but in the sharp eyes and fast
minds of AI-guided drones.
Kuala Lumpur.
15.07.2025
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https://focusmalaysia.my/eyes-in-the-sky-strengthening-malaysias-defence-with-ai-and-drones/
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