Page 35 - ADT MAY / JULY 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP

IN HIGH DEMAND

Baykar, Turkey’s biggest defence exporter, has seen surging
demand for its TB2, Akinci and TB3 drones

By ARUN SIVASANKARAN
I t is rare for a mean killing after the drone made an immediate plant in Ukraine for the TB2. In

February this year, the company
impact on the Russia-Ukraine war.
machine to inspire music. So
successful was Ukraine in
customers is Maldives. Reports
using the Turkish-made Bayraktar Among the drone’s most recent announced that construction of the
facility had commenced and would
TB2 against Russian tanks and suggest that Japan is also inter- finish in 12 months. The factory,
military installations during the early ested in acquiring the UAV. near Kyiv, is expected to employ
days of the ongoing conflict that the around 500 people. Baykar is
military drone has a whole folk song Legendary Status already Turkey’s biggest defence
– aptly named Bayraktar – dedi- exporter, accounting for nearly
cated to it. “It is the most popular combat UAV US$1.8 billion of the country’s total
in the world; it is a rockstar,” a com- of US$5.5 billion export revenue in
Developed and manufactured pany official told GBP Aerospace & 2023.
by Baykar, the medium-altitude Defence at DIMDEX 2024, held ear-
long-endurance (MALE) unmanned lier in the year. “It is combat proven “There are many military drones in
combat aerial vehicle can con- and cost effective. Until now, we the market, but it is hard to find one
duct Intelligence, Surveillance and have sold almost 600 TB2 drones to that can match TB2’s track record of
Reconnaissance (ISR) and armed 34 countries.” being combat proven in all regions
attack missions. It is capable of and in different types of weather
fully autonomous taxiing, take-off, The Tactical Armed / UAV System conditions,” the official added.
landing and cruise. The drone has a consists of Bayraktar TB2 Armed “Apart from Ukraine, the drone has
maximum endurance of more than / UAV Platform, Ground Control been successfully used in places
24 hours. Station, Ground Data Terminal, like Syria, Azerbaijan, and Libia.
Remote Display Terminal, Advanced The TB2 has a payload capacity of
Qatar was the launch international Base with Generator and Trailer 150 kg and maximum endurance
customer of the combat drone, and modules. Cashing in on the surg- of over 24 hours. Its diesel engine
by 2019, only six TB2 had been ing international interest for TB2, uses only 10 litres per hour.”
sold to international customers. Baykar announced in 2022 that it
Interest in the TB2 soared globally intends to set up a manufacturing One of the standout features of
ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY MAY - JULY 2024 | 35