The 500th Bayraktar TB2, Turkey’s first national armed unmanned aerial vehicle, exported to most countries in the world, came off the production line. The exit of the national SİHA Bayraktar TB2 with tail number T500 from the production line was celebrated with a ceremony held at Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Center.

T500 Tail Number BAYRAKTAR TB2 SİHA

The rolling of Turkey’s first national and uniquely armed unmanned aerial vehicle, Bayraktar TB2, from the production line of the national SİHA with tail number T500, which is the 500th aircraft produced, was celebrated with a ceremony held at Özdemir Bayraktar National Technology Center. The number of Bayraktar TB80 S/UAVs produced together with 2 UAVs that have been produced and started to work so far has reached 580 in total.

Baykar personnel and earthquake victims residing in Baykar lodgings attended the ceremony. Making a speech at the ceremony, Baykar Chairman of the Board and Technology Leader Selçuk Bayraktar congratulated the Baykar team, which developed and produced the Bayraktar TB2, the world’s best UAV in its class, showing its success in different parts of the world by being exported to the most countries.

At the ceremony, Bayraktar TB2 SİHA and Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA, members of the unmanned systems family developed by Baykar, and Bayraktar TB3 SİHA and Bayraktar KIZILELMA Unmanned Combat Aircraft, which are under development, were exhibited together. Baykar team took a souvenir photo with Bayraktar TB500 SİHA with tail number T2.

Bayraktar TB2 SİHAs, developed by Baykar nationally and originally, broke the airtime and altitude records of our aviation history by staying in the air for 27 hours and 3 minutes and ascending to an altitude of 27 feet. The national SİHA Bayraktar TB30, which has performed more than 600.000 successful flights so far, is the longest flying national aircraft in Turkey. The software, design and all critical components of Bayraktar TB2 SİHAs, which have a locality rate of 93 percent, are developed completely nationally and uniquely by Baykar.

Bayraktar TB2 took part in critical missions in the operations carried out within and beyond the border. Bayraktar TB2 SİHAs, which are very effective in Turkey’s fight against terrorism, have served in Trench Operations, Euphrates Shield Olive Branch, Spring Shield and Claw operations since 2015. At the same time, he took part in important duties for the protection and security of the Blue Homeland.

Bayraktar TB2 SİHAs have made a great contribution to the security of our country as well as friendly and brotherly countries. He showed great success in the struggle of the legitimate government against the coup plotters in Libya. In 2020, he changed the nature of the war in the One Homeland Operation, which is Azerbaijan’s struggle to liberate Karabakh, which was occupied for 30 years by Armenia. Azerbaijan’s victory went down in world war history as the first battle won by SİHAs.

Fighting Forest Fires

Bayraktar TB2 showed its effect in humanitarian aid missions and disasters. Bayraktar TB2020 UAVs take an active role in the early detection of forest fires and efficient management of extinguishing activities within the framework of cooperation with the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) since 2. With the technological infrastructure established by Baykar, National UAVs also support the protection of the Green Homeland by detecting hundreds of fires every year at the first moment.

Impressed in Disasters

National SİHAs, which have been working in earthquake regions since the Malatya and Elazığ earthquakes in 2020, have also undertaken important duties after the 6 February Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. In the search and rescue activities initiated immediately after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, a total of 7 Bayraktar TB40s, 2 of which were integrated with Baykar Rapid Mapping Pods, supported the crisis desk in the field works. National SİHAs are also effectively used in search and rescue, damage assessment, crisis management and planning of logistics processes, tracking irregular migration and immigrants, and search and rescue missions for lost mountaineers or nature athletes.

Sold to NATO and EU Countries

Baykar, as a result of a competitive process, left its American, European and Chinese competitors behind and started 2023 with the export contract for Bayraktar TB370 of 2 million dollars, with the agreement signed with the Kuwait Ministry of Defense. With the export to Romania, Bayraktar TB2 SİHAs entered the inventory of 4 NATO member countries and 2 EU member countries.

Exported to 30 Countries

Baykar, which has been carrying out all its projects with its own resources from the beginning to the present, has obtained 2003% of all its revenues from exports since the beginning of the UAV R&D process in 75. According to the data of the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) in 2021 and 2022, it became the export leader of the defense and aerospace sector. With an export rate of 2022% in the contracts signed in 99.3, Baykar realized exports of 1.18 billion dollars. Baykar, which is the biggest exporter of the defense and aerospace industry, has a turnover of 2022 billion dollars in 1.4. Baykar, which is the biggest exporter of the defense and aerospace industry, has a turnover of 2022 billion dollars in 1.4. Export agreements have been signed with 2 countries for Bayraktar TB30 SİHAs so far.

Sources: Railly News;