Forbes: New Bayraktar TB3 will surpass TB2 PHOTO

Türkiye is preparing to present a new generation of Bayraktar drones this year. The TB3 will be the successor of TB2, having gained fame after it’s use in Libya, Syria, Azerbaijan and - only recently - Ukraine. In contrast to the TB2, the new version has been developed as a marine drone, capable of taking off from short runways and ship decks.

As Forbes reports, Türkiye is also getting ready to put its new flagship, the TCG Anadolu L-400 into use, a landing ship built on the example of the Spanish Juan Carlos I marine vessel. The Turkish defence ministry has been considering the purchase of several F-35B Lightning II fighter jets, which feature a shorter takeoff distance and are capable of ascending vertically, to be stationed on the Anadolu. In 2019, Ankara was prohibited though from buying any F-35 after it purchased the advanced C-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia.

Following this, Türkiye decided to deploy the recently developed TB3 on the Anadolu navy ships instead of the American F-35 and use the military vessel mainly as an unmanned surface vehicle (S/UAV), meaning that the ship operates without a crew. Thanks to its folding wings, it will be able to install 30 to 50 TB3’s on the TCG Anadolu after completion.

The production of the TB3 is not only meant for the domestic markets, but the military contractor hopes to be able to export the drones to other countries as well, as was the case for the TB2.

"Our new unmanned air vehicle TB3 will be greatly suitable for the Japanese Izumo platforms", Haluk Bayraktar, the Director General of Bayraktar noted.

Bayraktar has understood, that the majority of countries cannot count on the creation of anything like a modern American super aircraft carrier, so they are turning to landing ships and paratroopers such as the TCG Anadolu.

James Rogers, associate professor for military research in Denmark provided Forbes with his assessment regarding those developments, saying, that "Japanese Izumo war ships are equipped for helicopters that fulfil vertical take-offs and landings, which is why they are smaller than usual aircraft carriers. The TB3 was developed specifically for ships with short runways and is capable of travelling long distances. Türkiye is ready to fill this important niche".

He added, that since the F35-B is not being exported to the country, the TB3 will provide the Turkish Navy with the necessary combat aviation. "If the project turns out to be successful, we will observe how other countries with similar ships will transform their landing ships into water vehicles for unmanned aircraft vehicles", Rogers forecasted.

Air drones for use in the navy are a large and developing market for the development of military UAVs. Countries like Russia are experimenting with large drones launched on ships using catapults. Türkiye is already leading this market with TB3 for its domestic military use and potential future international sales.

From Libya to Ukraine, the Turkish TB2 is becoming the world's leading military UAV but the TB3 will still have to prove itself in the long haul and be sold in high volumes. Nevertheless, I can see that the capabilities of the new drone (beyond the line of sight) and its automatized take-off and landing are unique features, differentiating it from its predecessor, the TB2. This is an indication, that Türkiye is trying to ensure its position as the world’s powerhouse when it comes to military drones.