Türkiye’s new unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), tailored for the country’s newly commissioned aircraft carrier, on Friday successfully took to the sky for its inaugural flight, its developer announced, according to Daily Sabah, Report informs.
The milestone comes as Türkiye celebrates its centenary, encouraged by the profound transformation achieved in its defense industry, marked by a range of homegrown air, land and marine platforms spearheaded by combat drones.
“On the Republic of Türkiye's centennial, the Bayraktar TB3 unmanned aerial vehicle successfully completed its maiden flight,” Selçuk Bayraktar, Baykar’s chief technology officer (CTO), said on X.
The TB3, a short-runway-capable version of Baykar’s famed Bayraktar TB2 platform, rolled out on a runway in northwestern Türkiye before taking off from the Corlu Flight Training and Test Center.
It is the first of its kind, boasting the ability to fold its wings and capable of landing and taking off from a ship.
The TB3 is designed for deployment from a newly commissioned aircraft carrier, the TCG Anadolu, also dubbed the world’s first drone carrier.
“Last year, per our promise to our nation, we completed the first flight of our country’s first unmanned combat aircraft, Bayraktar Kızılelma, right here,” said Bayraktar.
“That happened just one month before the 100th year of our Republic, and today, approximately one year later, we have successfully carried out the first flight of the Bayraktar TB3, which can take off from and land on short-runway ships of our country.”