Bayraktar drones to be produced in Ukraine “from scratch”. Turkey demands an end to the phrase “Turkish Bayraktar”

Production could launch within “months, not years.”

Turkish Bayraktar drones may begin production in Ukraine with a full production cycle, and their launch can be expected within “months, not years.” 

Production “from scratch”

Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey, Vasyl Bodnar, told Radio Svoboda in an interview that Baykar and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense already have a memorandum on opening a repair center for such drones and a training center, as well as plans to build a plant to produce these aircraft. 

Vasyl Bodnar
Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey

In fact, it is perhaps a matter of months, not years. Work is already under way to allocate a suitable plot of land to begin specific construction of a storage and repair center. In parallel, work is also underway to create production capacity and start producing Bayraktars in Ukraine. The information I have points to full-scale production of unmanned aircraft “from scratch”; they could be used both for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and for supplies to third-country markets. 

According to him, Bayraktars have interested many countries in Europe and Asia. Bodnar said production capacity in Turkey is already quite full. That is why additional full-cycle production capacity is also in the interests of the Turkish side.

“To master new markets and jointly conduct both tests and, later perhaps, training for some foreign colleagues, to master this technology and jointly shape the defense sector,” the ambassador noted. 

He reported that Ukraine and Turkey already have a joint venture producing a new type of drone, the Akinci, to which the Ukrainian side supplies engines and some other spare parts. 

“Turkish Bayraktar”

Earlier, Turkey's foreign minister said Ukraine must stop using the expression “Turkish Bayraktar” for purchased strike drones used in Donbas. 

The minister made the statement after meeting his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the G20 summit. 

Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu
Turkish foreign minister

It may have been made in Turkey, but it belongs to Ukraine. Turkey cannot be blamed for this. Ukraine must stop using our name. If a country buys them from us, from another country, this weapon cannot be called Turkish, Russian or Ukrainian. If a state buys it from us, it is no longer a Turkish product. It may have been produced in Turkey, but it belongs to Ukraine. Turkey cannot be blamed for anything. 

He added that while fighting terrorism, Turkey has faced various types of weapons from different countries. 

“Sometimes during our fight against terrorism in various countries we encounter different weapons from different countries, including Russia. We never blame Russia. Ukraine must also stop using our name,” the minister said. 

Besides Ukraine, Turkey has also sold Bayraktar TB2 drones to Qatar, Azerbaijan and Poland.