Turkey eyes production of unmanned combat aircraft

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Turkey has become capable of production of an unmanned combat aircraft, the head of the Baykar Technologies Company, Selcuk Bayraktar told Turkish media on August 29.

After 10 years of experience in the field, the company was able to produce an unmanned fighter jet, Bayraktar told journalists after the delivery ceremony of the Baykar AKINCI Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) to the Turkish Armed Forces.

Bayraktar said that the computer systems developed for AKINCI aslo would be used for the unmanned fighter aircrafts with certain necessary adaptations.

Commenting on the production of Bayraktar TB2 UCAV, he said that the company has signed export contracts with more than 10 countries. They have already been put into operation in four countries.

In Bayraktar's words, there is a great demand both for Bayraktar TB2 and AKINCI UCAV in foreign countries.

“We will evaluate those demands by completing our own production, qualifying the aircraft and making it ready for mass production," he added.

Along with Bayraktar TB2, the company aimed at the serial production of AKINCI UCAVs as well and the process would be less time consuming than the previous ones due to the experience gained in this field, Bayraktar stressed.

Noting AKINCI’s strategic importance, Bayraktar said it could carry a much wider range of ammunition, including air-to-ground, cruise missile, air-to-air, among others.

Furthermore, more work has been carried out on the development of Bayraktar TB3 UCAV, which would be bigger than its predecessor, with the first flights scheduled for 2022, he said. The vehicle will be provided with the diesel engine produced by Turkish Engine Industries (TEI).