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Turkey issues licenses for producing combat drones in Ukraine

by Martin Fornusek June 23, 2023 1:42 PM 1 min read

A Bayraktar TB2 on display at the Lithuanian Air Force base in Siauliai, Lithuania on July 6, 2022, acquired for Ukraine thanks to a Lithuanian crowdfunding program. (Petras Malukas/AFP via Getty Images

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The Turkish company Baykar has received licenses to produce Bayraktar and Akıncı combat drones in Ukraine, the newspaper Yeni Akit reported on June 22, citing the company’s CEO Haluk Bayraktar.

The production of drones is expected to start in 2025 and the total investment into the project is expected to amount to $95.5 million, the newspaper wrote.

Baykar founded Avia Ventures LLC in Ukraine in 2019 with the aim of opening two factories in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced in 2022 that, based on an agreement between Ankara and Kyiv, Baykar would open a factory in Ukraine to produce Bayraktar drones.

This should also include training facilities for pilots, Reznikov added.

The Bayraktar is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle. Turkey has been supplying Bayraktar drones to Ukraine over the past few years.

Russia is also seeking foreign assistance with drone production and working with Iran to construct a drone factory on Russian territory, according to media reports.

Author: Martin Fornusek

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