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Air · Drone / system

ALPAGU

Light fixed-wing loitering munition with a published compact airframe specification and a 2026 European export contract.

Role & capabilities

  • Loitering munition
Order / production commitmentOrder / production commitment
Primary domain
Air
System type
Loitering munition
Developer / manufacturer
STM
Origin / production countries
Türkiye
Other names
No additional names recorded
Variants / configurations
See the named configuration and evidence notes
Operators / programme customers
Türkiye — supplier-reported use; Unnamed NATO/EU member — 2026 order

Evidence & current status

Specifications are attributed public claims. Configuration, current fleet size and deliveries may not be fully disclosed.

ALPAGU is STM’s lightweight fixed-wing loitering munition. It is a distinct aircraft from the company’s multirotor KARGU, even though both can be purchased within the same broader uncrewed systems programme. The published ALPAGU technical page describes a small aircraft with electro-optical and infrared observation, a fifteen-minute flight duration and a line-of-sight control link.

The current figures describe the product on that technical page. They should not be transferred automatically to later announcements carrying a suffix or related name. In particular, a manufacturer’s portfolio-wide performance description does not establish a common aircraft configuration across all loitering munition products.

In January 2026, STM announced an export contract covering ALPAGU and KARGU for an unnamed NATO and European Union member. The release also states that Turkish security forces use the systems. It does not disclose aircraft quantities or a verified delivery schedule for the new customer. The catalogue therefore records the contract milestone while keeping customer identity and fleet size unresolved. Advertised control distance is identified as a communications limit, not a separately measured maximum flight distance.

Sourced specifications

Figures apply to the named configuration. Maximum values are not guaranteed operating performance.

SpecificationReported valueContext & source
AirframeSmall fixed-wing loitering munitionManufacturer-published figure; configuration and conditions may affect performance. Source ↗
Launch / recoveryNot established from the reviewed public sources.Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗
PropulsionNot established from the reviewed public sources.Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗
DimensionsWingspan 883 mm; length 653 mm; diameter 105 mmManufacturer-published figure; configuration and conditions may affect performance. Source ↗
Mass1.95 kgManufacturer-published figure; configuration and conditions may affect performance. Source ↗
Endurance15 minutesManufacturer-published figure; configuration and conditions may affect performance. Source ↗
Range8 km line-of-sight control distanceManufacturer-published figure; configuration and conditions may affect performance. Source ↗
Speed20 m/s cruiseManufacturer-published figure; configuration and conditions may affect performance. Source ↗
Altitude80–200 m AGL published flight altitudeManufacturer-published figure; configuration and conditions may affect performance. Source ↗
PayloadNot established from the reviewed public sources.Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗
SensorsEO/IR cameraManufacturer-published figure; configuration and conditions may affect performance. Source ↗
Communications / navigationNot established from the reviewed public sources.Public data gap; no estimate or neighbouring variant value substituted. Source ↗

Documented milestones

  1. European export contract

    Joint ALPAGU and KARGU agreement announced; customer and quantities not disclosed.

    Read the announcement ↗

Publication history

  • — Added a sourced global catalogue profile with configuration-specific data and explicit evidence limits.

Suggest a correction to this entry →

Follow the evidence

Source types identify who makes the claim. Programme milestones and supplier statements should be read in context.

  1. STM: ALPAGU technical page (opens in a new tab)Manufacturer
  2. STM: January 2026 European export agreement (opens in a new tab)Manufacturer

Explore the connections

Manufacturer indexTürkiye

STM

Aircraft and programme links: KARGU, ALPAGU.

Reviewed 20 Sept 2026Read
Air · Coverage auditMiddle East

Middle East defence drone coverage audit

6 original research topics reviewed: 0 resolved, 6 partially resolved and 0 still open. The remaining register identifies specific evidence needs.

Reviewed 21 Sept 2026Read