Turkish aviation firm delivers combat drones to Poland

By Tolga Yanik

ISTANBUL (AA) - Within the scope of a contract signed between Turkish drone producer Baykar and the Polish Defense Ministry in 2021, another 24 Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) were delivered to Warsaw this month, Türkiye's Secretariat of Defense Industries (SSB) said on Friday.

The first batch deliveries were made in October 2022, followed by supplies in April and October 2023, and lastly in May this year.

A handover ceremony was held at the 12th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Base in Poland with the participation of Haluk Gorgun, president of the SSB, Pawel Bejda, Poland's deputy national defense minister, and Baykar's General Manager Haluk Bayraktar.

Gorgun said Türkiye is now a global player in the field of drones, ship projects, electronic systems, land vehicles, weapons and ammunition systems thanks to its homegrown design and advanced technology capabilities.

"Baykar is a company closely followed by the entire world with its young talent, game-changing power, groundbreaking superior technologies and export successes, and is the national pride of our country," he said. "This success achieved by our company positively increases the image of our country in the world."

With this project, Türkiye has exported a high-tech UCAV to a NATO and EU member country for the first time in its history, he added.

*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun