A new Turkish drone, the Bayraktar TB3, made its public debut at Teknofest, the country’s leading technology event.
Developed by Baykar, a leading Turkish aerospace company, the Bayraktar TB3 is the first combat drone capable of taking off and landing from short-runway vessels like the TCG Anadolu drone carrier.
Powered by a PD-170 engine from Turkish manufacturer TUSAŞ Engine Industries, the TB3 can reach a top speed of 160 knots (296 kilometers/183 miles per hour) and has over 24 hours of flight endurance.
It features a 14-meter (45-foot) wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of 1,450 kilograms (3,197 pounds), and a payload capacity of 280 kilograms (617 pounds).
During several exercises earlier this year, it completed low, medium, and high-altitude performances and system identification tests.
Equipped with smart munitions, the drone is designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence, and attack missions from remote distances.
Baykar Leading Turkish Defense Exports
Turkish drones have played key roles in conflicts in Azerbaijan, Libya, and Ukraine, with the TB3 set to enhance the capabilities of its predecessor, the TB2.
Baykar, a major exporter of unmanned combat aerial vehicles, has sold its Bayraktar TB2 and AKINCI drones to 34 countries.
The company accounts for 32 percent of Turkey’s total defense and aerospace exports, with foreign sales reaching $1.770 billion in 2023.
Overall, Turkey exports 230 defense products to nearly 170 countries. The country’s aviation industry also supplies aircraft structures, equipment, and maintenance services to top global manufacturers, contributing to a record $5.5 billion in defense and aerospace export revenue in 2023.