Turkey has risen to the world’s top three countries in combat drone technology, the Turkish president said. “With our unmanned combat aerial vehicle Akinci, Turkey has become one of the three most advanced countries in the world in this technology,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the delivery ceremony for the Bayraktar Akinci combat drone in the northwestern Tekirdag province.
Underlining that Turkey is determined to become the leading country in combat drones, Erdogan said Turkey has to develop new technologies.
The nation’s goal is to develop armed drones that can take off and land on aircraft carriers with short runways for use in missions abroad, he added.
Erdogan also praised Turkey’s extensive use of home-sourced defence products, which leaped from just 20% to about 80% in recent years.
On July 8 the Bayraktar Akinci made Turkish aviation history by climbing to 38,039 feet (11,594 meters) – a new record – in a flight that lasted for 25 hours and 46 minutes.
The Akinci, which to date has made 874 sorties in test and training flights, hit its targets with full accuracy in a July 5 firing test with warhead ammunition developed by Turkish rocket producer Roketsan.
With Turkey rising as drone giant, Albania has approved a budget to purchase Turkish armed drone Bayraktar TB-2, a report said. After recent deals with Poland and Ukraine, Albania will become the next country to buy Turkish combat drones.
The Albanian parliament approved an additional budget of $9.7 million for the purchase, the report said.
Last month, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama headed an official delegation on a visit to Turkey where he discussed securing the country’s territory with Turkish drones.
Over the past decade, Turkey has improved its drone technology to overcome the arms embargoes from the US and European countries.
Even though European countries apply some restrictions over Turkey’s drone system, last week, Poland purchased Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 drones.
Meanwhile, a senior policy fellow and analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) has warned that the success in drone warfare conducted by Turkey and Azerbaijan is a cause of concern for Europe.