Turkish Drone Giants Start Bayraktar TB3 Mass Production And Are Ready To Be Exported

Bayraktar TB3 UCAV at SAHA EXPO 2024. (Source: AA Photo via Daily Sabah)

JAKARTA - The new armed drone giant Turkey, Baykar, has entered mass production and could be exported in the next five to six months, according to Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of the company late last month.

The drone in question is the Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), a new drone capable of folding its wings and specifically designed for the country's first aircraft carrier, TCG Anadolu.

"Maybe this year, in a few months, maybe in five to six months, we might hear some news in terms of exports," he said, citing Anadolu's Daily Sabah November 12.

Bayraktar stressed that the UCAV TB3 was built based on the success of its predecessor, TB2, with the additional capability to land on naval platforms, making it a versatile addition to Turkey's growing defense technology arsenal.

Earlier, in an interview, the company's chief executive also announced that it was allocating resources to increase production of internal components to address industrial supply chain challenges, pointing to plans to invest about $300 million in jet engine development.

Bayraktar, who is also chairman of the SAHA board of directors, spoke on the sidelines of the SAHA EXPO 2024. The SAHA defense exhibition, one of the main defense events in Turkey, witnessed the signing of dozens of agreements between foreign and domestic companies and institutions in the metropolitan city of Istanbul, Turkey.

The five-day defense exhibition showcases advanced systems, products and defense software, air and sea.