Turkey Debuts Carrier-Capable Bayraktar TB3 Combat Drone
A prototype of the Bayraktar TB3 combat drone was displayed to the public for the first time at the Teknofest 2023 exhibition, which was held in the Turkish city of Istanbul from April 27 to May 1.
Turkey’s leading drone manufacturer Baykar began developing the TB3, a larger modified version of the Bayraktar TB2, in 2021 for use onboard the Turkish Navy’s amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu. The drone, which has a length of 8.35 meter, a height of 2.6 meter, a wingspan of 14 meter, features foldable wings and retractable landing gear for that purpose.
According to the initial plans TCG Anadolu was expected to be equipped with Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II fighter jets but following the removal of Turkey from the procurement program by the United States, the ship entered a modification process to allow it to be able to accommodate drones.
TCG Anadolu, which was commissioned last April, will reportedly be able to carry as many as 30 to 50 Bayraktar TB3 combat drones.
The TB3 can carry a payload of 280 kilograms and is equipped with six hardpoints. The combat drone can be armed with a variety of precision-guided munitions.
The maximum speed of the drone is 150 knots and the cruise speed is 125 knots. The maximum altitude is 30,000 feet, while its maximum mission radius is 2,200 kilometers at 20,000 feet.
The TB3 will be equipped with the CATS, an electro-optical reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting system designed by Turkey’s Aselsan. Other payloads, including a multi mode active electronically scanned array radar, are reportedly being developed.
In the last few years, Turkey became one of the world’s key developers and manufacturers of reconnaissance and combat drones. Ankara is now developing more advanced drones, with the aim of strengthening its military capabilities as well as its defense exports.
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