Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar Technology has announced that it has signed a $367 million contract with the Kuwaiti government for the purchase of Bayraktar TB2 drones.
The announcement made on Baykar’s Twitter page on Wednesday said Baykar beat out US, European and Chinese rivals for the contract, saying that Bayraktar TB2 drones, which hold the record in Turkish aviation history for endurance at 27 hours, will serve in the skies over Kuwait.
Kuveyt Devleti ile milli SİHA #BayraktarTB2 ihracatına dair yürüttüğümüz sözleşme sürecini başarıyla tamamladık.
Amerika, Avrupa ve Çinli firmaların da yer aldığı rekabete dayalı sürecin kazananı olan milli SİHA #BayraktarTB2, 2019'da çöl şartlarında 27 saat 3 dakika havada… https://t.co/9VP2p0cBza
— BAYKAR (@BaykarTech) June 13, 2023
An announcement made by the Kuwaiti army said the contract was negotiated by the two governments. The statement did not reveal how many drones would be delivered to Kuwait or when.
Drones developed by the Baykar company — co-run by a son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — have been used in Azerbaijan, Libya and Ukraine. Kyiv used them in the first hours of Russia’s invasion last year.
Today, Turkey exports its relatively cheap and effective drones to 28 countries, particularly in Africa, according to the company’s management.
The TB2 is 6.5 meters long and half the weight of its US counterpart, the Reaper, carrying four laser-guided munitions.
Baykar says it can fly for 27 hours, at up to 220 kilometers per hour (137 mph), and is operational between 18,000 and 25,000 feet.