The Bayraktar TB2 drones made by the Turkish company, Baykar, have helped Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion. Now, a new generation of Turkish combat drones has been showcased and it turns out that some are using Ukrainian engines.
Baykar has showcased the new combat drone, codenamed Kizilelma, another language for red apple. This drone uses jet power and is designed to take off and land on the Turkish amphibious ship, TGC Anadolu.
Last November, Baykar signed a contract with Ivchenko Progress, a Ukrainian company to provide the engines for the drones.
"With this new contract, we will use the engine, which is produced by Ivchenko Progress and Motor Sich. I hope this deal will continue the strategic cooperation between the two countries," said Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar as quoted by us from Eurasia, Thursday ( 31/3/2022).
This drone, which is designed to be more agile, is supplied with an engine called the AI-322F Turbofan. It can fly very high with a maximum weight of 5,500 kilograms. The flight duration is about 5 hours with a top speed of 800 km per hour.
Well, the use of this Ukrainian engine could have a negative impact because Russia may want to limit its sales and technology. Then there is a possibility that the drone will not sell well.
"Russia sees the Bayraktar drone in particular as a very competitive weapon, not only in its area but also in the global aerial equipment market. Russia is concerned about the Bayraktar being used in areas of the former Soviet Union, Central Asia and now Ukraine," said Samuel Bennett, analyst at Naval Analyses.
"So then, if Russia wants to use all its power in negotiations, it's possible that they want to limit military cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey and minimize Turkey's advantage in this drone technology," he added.