(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Bayraktar TB2 UCAV System, which made many unprecedented achievements in the history of Turkish aviation, has successfully completed 750,000 flight hours, thus becoming the indigenous aerial vehicle to spend the longest time in the Turkish skies, approaching one million hours of service.
Developed by Baykar, the manufacturer of Türkiye’s indigenous UCAV systems and recognized as the best in its class globally in terms of technical specifications and participation in operations, Bayraktar TB2 entered the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in 2014.
In a statement released by Baykar, it said, armed in 2015, the UAV is currently operated by the TSK, the Gendarmerie General Command, the Turkish National Police, and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). Bayraktar TB2 UCAV has been actively involved in counter-terrorism operations at home and abroad since 2014.
The Ukrainian military actively uses Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs for defensive purposes in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Baykar, which has been developing the most valuable software and hardware systems in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles with its team of Turkish engineers since the early 2000s, is recognized as one of the world’s leading technology companies with engineering power in 13 different disciplines.
Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs, whose critical components, designs, and software are developed nationally and independently by Baykar, are produced with a record-breaking domestic industry participation rate of 93 percent at the Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Center in Istanbul.
On July 16, 2019, Bayraktar TB2 UCAV set a record by flying for 27 hours and 3 minutes continuously under challenging geographical and climate conditions such as high temperature and sandstorms during a demonstration flight in Kuwait.
Indigenous UCAVs continue to operate in all weather conditions, including desert heat, freezing cold, snow, and storms, from Europe to Africa.
With 750 thousand flight hours, the national UCAV has made history in Turkish aviation, holding the title of the aircraft that has served Türkiye successfully for the longest time.
Bayraktar TB2 UCAV actively participated in domestic and cross-border operations conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces, such as the ‘Trench’ operations, Operation Euphrates Shield, and Operation Olive Branch.
Bayraktar TB2 UCAV systems, especially during the Olive Branch Operation in Afrin, made its mark on the operation by conducting more than 90% of all flights, with a total of 5,300 flight hours.
Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs also contributed significantly to earthquake response.
After the earthquake centered in Sivrice, Elazığ, on January 24, 2020, they quickly moved to the region, providing real-time images and information to crisis command centers in Ankara and earthquake-affected provinces from the 25th minute onward.
In the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, known as the Century’s Disaster, they operated for 2417 hours and 6 minutes.
In total, 42 Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs, including 8 with Baykar Rapid Mapping Pods, participated in these missions, supporting search and rescue efforts from the sky and controlling intense vehicle traffic after earthquakes.
Through a competitive process, Baykar surpassed its American, European, and Chinese competitors and started the year 2023 with a $370 million export contract for Bayraktar TB2 signed with the Kuwait Ministry of Defense.
With the exports to Romania, Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs entered the inventories of four NATO member countries and two EU member countries.
Baykar, which has carried out all its projects with its own resources since its establishment, generated 83 percent of its revenue from exports since the beginning of the UAV R&D process in 2003.
According to the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Baykar became the export leader in the defense and aviation sectors in 2021 and 2022. In 2022, with export rates of 99.3 percent in the contracts signed, Baykar generated $1.2 billion in exports.
Export agreements have been signed with 32 countries for Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs, 8 for Bayraktar AKINCI UCAVs, and a total of 33 countries to date. — DSA
DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA APPS
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