Türkiye's Bayraktar TB3 UCAV breaks altitude record

Turkish defence company Baykar's domestically developed armed unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) Bayraktar TB3 broke an altitude record with a domestically produced engine, reaching 33,000 feet in a performance test.

According to a statement from Baykar Technologies on Thursday, the testing process for the Bayraktar TB3 has continued successfully.

After making its first flight for the Turkish Republic's 100th anniversary on October 27, 2023, successfully conducting medium and high-altitude performance tests, the Bayraktar TB3 UAV completed the High Altitude System Performance Test on Thursday, reaching a record altitude.

The UAV successfully completed the test at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in the Corlu district of Tekirdag with the PD-170 engine developed by TUSAS Engine Industries Inc., or TEI.

The altitude record belongs to the Bayraktar AKINCI TIHA unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UAAV) developed by Baykar at 45,118 feet.

Aviation sector's export leader

On March 26 this year, it achieved another milestone by successfully flying with the domestically developed ASELFLIR-500 system, known for its superior performance globally.

Equipped with foldable wings, the Bayraktar TB3 will become the first armed UAV capable of operating from short-runway ships like the TCG Anadolu.

This advancement, coupled with its beyond-line-of-sight communication capability, positions it as a game-changer in reconnaissance, intelligence and attack missions, significantly enhancing Türkiye's deterrent capabilities.

According to the Turkish Exporters Assembly, Baykar, largely self-funded, has relied on exports for 83 percent of its revenue since 2003, becoming the defence and aviation sector's export leader.

The Presidency of Defence Industries in 2023 recognised Baykar's exports totalled $1.8 billion last year, constituting over 90 percent of its income and one-third of the sector's total exports in 2023.

As the world's largest UAV exporter, Baykar has fulfilled 97.5 percent of its contracts through exports, with agreements signed with a total of 34 countries, including 33 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and nine countries so far for the Bayraktar AKINCI TIHA.