Türkiye’s Baykar executive reveals plans to bring Teknofest to Europe

Chairman of the Board of TEKNOFEST Festival and Chief Technology Officer of the Turkish defence company Baykar Selçuk Bayraktar has announced that the renowned Teknofest Aerospace and Technology Festival may soon be making its way to Europe.

"We would like to organise 'Teknofest' in European countries, particularly for our brothers in Germany. We host this festival in friendly and brotherly nations, and I believe that, over time, it will reach European countries as well," Bayraktar told Report in Northern Cyprus, Caliber.Az informs. 

The "Teknofest" festival, which celebrates innovation in aviation, space, and technology, is currently in its 11th edition and is taking place in Lefkoşa, the capital of Northern Cyprus. The event, which showcases cutting-edge technological advancements and features competitions in various fields, will wrap up on May 4.

Bayraktar also noted that the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB3, a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) designed for deck-based operations, is being hailed as a revolutionary breakthrough in naval warfare. 

“The Bayraktar TB3 has successfully completed its trials, and ongoing efforts to enhance and further develop the platform are progressing rapidly,” he said.

Bayraktar emphasised the significance of the TB3’s ability to perform automatic takeoff and landing from ships with short runways, marking it as the world’s first system capable of this advanced function. 

"American and Israeli companies had been working on this direction, but we succeeded ahead of them, and now both testing and production processes continue. This is, in essence, a revolutionary innovation in naval combat," Bayraktar stated.

He stressed that beyond the Bayraktar TB3, Bayraktar also highlighted the parallel development of the Kızılelma platform. 

"For us, this marks the official beginning of our national naval aviation. Previously, we used to land aerial vehicles on our maritime platforms, but they were not of our own design," he explained, underscoring the significance of Türkiye’s progress in developing indigenous technologies,” he said.

Bayraktar also touched on a strategic partnership forged with one of the world’s largest defense industry companies, following the signing of a cooperation agreement in Rome. 

"This partnership spans not only unmanned aerial vehicles but also other high-tech sectors. Our entry into the European market is especially significant in terms of cooperation with NATO countries. Currently, six NATO nations use our systems. This agreement is crucial for both the European market and the shared interests of the two countries. Both sides have welcomed this collaboration with satisfaction," Bayraktar added.

By Naila Huseynova