Turkish Baykar plans to complete plant in Ukraine in two years – media reports
General Director of Baykar Halyuk Bayraktar (Photo:Umit Bektas / Reuters)
Turkish defense company Baykar, the manufacturer of the Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones, is planning to complete the construction of its plant in Ukraine in two years, CEO Haluk Bayraktar told the Reuters news agency on Oct. 27.
“Our plan is moving ahead,” the chief executive said on the sidelines of the SAHA defense expo in Istanbul.
“Right now we have architectural design. The detailed design phase is finished. And we will move ahead with construction actually... within two years we would like to finish it.”
The expanding order book is expected to net around $1 billion in export revenues this year, Bayraktar said, about 50% higher than last year’s $650 million, with a further 50% growth expected in 2023.
Bayraktar said the company will invest the revenues for expansion of production lines.
“Our production capacity with TB2, we do 20 units per month,” he said.
“For 2023 our target is to do a minimum of 30 (units) a month.”
The company’s chief noted research and development on the fast drone fighter jet Kizilelma, which analysts say represents significant expansion of capabilities for slow moving reconnaissance and missile carrying drones, will pick up as well.
Kizilelma will be capable of taking off from and landing on short-runway aircraft carriers, with a maiden flight expected in the next few months.
The TB3, a short-runway-capable version of the TB2, is expected to finish its testing phase by the end of 2023, Bayraktar said.
Bayraktar added the company is also expanding its focus to space technologies to complement its unmanned vehicle system.
“We are now investing in space technologies,” he said.
“Not well established segments, but new areas where you can bring new innovative solutions.”
Baykar is also investing in some companies in its expanding supply chain.
“We invest in companies which bring value added items to our systems... in the field of communications, optics, network architecture,” Bayraktar said.
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