 to successfully take off and land on a short-deck ship, the flagship of the Turkish Navy, TCG Anadolu, Baykar announced on Tuesday.){kind=link}
The Bayraktar TB3, produced by Turkey’s leading drone maker Baykar, has become the first unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) to successfully take off and land on a short-deck ship, the flagship of the Turkish Navy, TCG Anadolu, Baykar announced on Tuesday.
According to a press release from Baykar, the indigenously developed Bayraktar TB3 armed UAV successfully completed takeoff and landing tests on short-deck ships, marking a “groundbreaking moment” in aviation history. The Bayraktar TB3 is now the world’s first armed unmanned aerial vehicle capable of taking off and landing on short-deck ships such as TCG Anadolu, the company said.
#BayraktarTB3 PT-2 🤝 TCG Anadolu ✈️🚢⚓️🚀
Dünya Havacılık Tarihinde Bir İlk!
✅ Kısa Pistli Gemiden Kalkış-İniş Testi
☁️ Toplam Uçuş Saati: 823 SaatA groundbreaking moment in aviation history!
✅ Short-Runway Carrier Take-Off & Landing Test
☁️ Total Flight Hours: 823… pic.twitter.com/STnmuewlTK— BAYKAR (@BaykarTech) November 19, 2024
The Bayraktar TB3 UCAV successfully took off from TCG Anadolu’s 12-degree inclined ramp during tests conducted at sea. The UAV completed a 46-minute test flight at sea before landing back on the short deck without the use of any landing support equipment.
Equipped with the domestically developed Tusaş Engine Industries (TEI) PD-170 engine, the Bayraktar TB3 reached an altitude of 36,310 feet during a flight at Baykar’s Flight Training and Test Center in Keşan, Edirne province, in northern Turkey. However, the national aviation altitude record is held by the Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV, which reached 45,118 feet.
The Bayraktar TB3 UCAV, developed by Baykar, has now surpassed 700 flight hours in testing. The unmanned aircraft is equipped with foldable wings, making it well-suited for carrier operations. It is capable of performing a variety of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence gathering and precision-guided strikes. Its Line-of-Sight and Beyond-Line-of-Sight communication systems enable extended-range operations from short-deck carriers and amphibious assault ships.
Baykar, a Turkish defense company founded in 1986, gained significant recognition for the effectiveness of its drones in countering Russian forces in Ukraine, particularly in the initial weeks of the Russian invasion, where they successfully countered Russian armor and anti-aircraft systems. In addition to importing drones from Turkey, Kyiv announced in July that the construction of a Turkish Bayraktar drone manufacturing plant had begun in Ukraine.
Drones developed by Baykar have been exported to at least 30 countries and have been used in conflicts in Azerbaijan and Libya in addition to Ukraine. Many say the company owes its success to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who personally promotes Baykar drones during his visits to foreign countries, as a result of which agreements worth of millions of dollars are signed.
Baykar’s chairman, Selçuk Bayraktar, is the son-in-law of Erdoğan.
Meanwhile, TCG Anadolu, based on the Spanish Juan Carlos I amphibious assault ship design, is Turkey’s largest warship and multipurpose amphibious assault ship, which has also evolved into a unique drone carrier, While retaining its primary role as an amphibious assault ship, with capacity for 1,400 troops, 13 tanks, and various armored vehicles.
The 27,436-ton vessel, measuring 758 feet in length, was initially planned to operate F-35B fifth-generation fighter jets. However, after Turkey was removed from the F-35 program due to its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system, the navy adapted the ship to serve as a platform for UCAVs and helicopters.
The vessel is now configured to carry up to 80 drones, including TB3 and the Bayraktar future jet-powered Kızılelma combat drones, with the ability to control between 10 and 15 armed drones simultaneously. TCG Anadolu can also operate various helicopter types, including the T129 ATAK, AH-1W Super Cobra, and SH-60B.
The TB3 drones, with a 1,000-mile range and 24-hour endurance, represent a new era in maritime power projection. Each drone can be equipped with up to six underwing hardpoints for precision-guided munitions, bombs and rockets, along with advanced sensor systems. Operating from Anadolu’s deck, these drones can conduct surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike missions against both land and naval targets. They can also serve as aerial network relays or airborne early warning platforms.
TCG Anadolu can remain at sea for up to 90 days, with a range of 9,000 nautical miles, marking a significant advancement in Turkey’s naval capabilities and its pioneering role in developing operational drone carrier capabilities.