The Turkish combat drone Bayraktar hit Russian soldiers in the Ukraine war badly. The weapon system inspires customers all over the world, including Putin. How Turkey became self-sufficient in military products and whether it remains loyal to NATO.
In Germany, when it comes to weapons in the Ukraine war, people very often talk about those who aren’t there. Or via a tank ring exchange where we fail to meet our commitments.
Things are different in Turkey: Here, pictures are running in the news of Turkish precision weapons killing Russian invaders – and helping the Ukrainians.
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Specifically, it is about a weapon system that can easily keep up with the top equipment from the USA: the Bayraktar TB2 combat drone. She was a crucial guarantor that Russia gave up the strategically important Snake Island due to the high losses. The precision weapons are relatively cheap in relation to their enormous effect. Some experts say they can decide wars.
The Ukraine war makes it clear that Turkey has developed a weapon system that is among the very best the world currently has to offer. It proves that Turkey’s path was not only different from Germany’s, for example, but also apparently the better one: self-sufficiency. The country wanted to be able to provide itself with essential weapons and become less dependent on the big players. The reasons are also historical: in the 1970s, Turkey suffered from arms embargoes imposed by the USA, which was by far the most important supplier at the time.
Turkey itself has become a supplier for Bayraktar: Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Ethiopia, Poland, Turkmenistan and the Ukraine are already Bayraktar customers. Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary and Great Britain are showing interest or are actually negotiating a purchase of the combat drone. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is driving business: Defense spending is growing all over the world. Good for the drone power Turkey.
According to research by management consultancy AT Kearney, “Turkey is one of the few nations prepared for such an increase in demand thanks to its long-standing research and development projects.” According to the report, Turkey will invest $1.6 billion in 2021 in the development of new weapon systems and produced armaments worth around ten billion dollars.
In addition to the Bayraktar combat drone, the country is developing an aircraft carrier, various armored vehicles, battleships, main battle tanks, man-portable rocket launchers, helicopters and a satellite system. According to President Recep Erdogan, Turkey is currently 70 percent self-sufficient in arms, the goal is 100 percent.
When Erdogan and Putin recently met in Sochi, the alarm bells went off in the West: Is NATO member Turkey ready to deliver the combat drone to Russia as well?
Erdogan had not ruled that out before the meeting. Unlike Haykuk Bayraktar, head of the manufacturer of the combat drone: “We support Ukraine.”
But experience shows that Erdogan is not always a reliable partner for the West. In addition, the country is dependent on Russia’s gas supplies, including grain supplies – and Russian tourists are also welcome guests. So far, loyalty to NATO seems to be holding up. But Erdogan has leverage in his hands. An agreement was reached with Russia on expanding relations – in the areas of trade, industry and tourism, according to the official announcements after the Sochi meeting last week.
The article “How Erdogan is upgrading Turkey to drone power” comes from WirtschaftsKurier.