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Türkiye’s Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle successfully struck designated targets during the ongoing NATO Steadfast Dart 2026 drill in Germany, marking another milestone for the platform, Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense said Saturday.
The Bayraktar TB3, the first UCAV in world aviation history capable of fully autonomous takeoff and landing from a short-runway ship, took off from the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu and hit its assigned target with full accuracy during the exercise.
In a statement shared on its social media account, the ministry said the Turkish Armed Forces continue to demonstrate their capabilities through the participation of land, naval and air elements in Steadfast Dart-2026.
It said TB3 UCAVs deployed aboard TCG Anadolu took off as part of the exercise, struck designated targets in the Baltic Sea with full accuracy, successfully completed their missions, and returned to the ship.
Another post related to the exercise included the statement, “The power of the Turkish army deters, its agility knows no bounds, and its staff intellect delivers victory.”
The ministry also said Turkish Armed Forces units deployed to Germany with about 2,000 personnel for the exercise have successfully carried out all assigned tasks, operating as an effective, reputable, and deterrent force.
The Bayraktar TB3 represents a significant advancement in Türkiye’s unmanned aerial vehicle technology and was designed specifically for operations from short-runway amphibious assault ships.
The armed UAV features a length of 8.35 meters and a wingspan of 14 meters. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,600 kilograms and a payload capacity of 280 kilograms.
The platform has an endurance of more than 21 hours, a service ceiling of 25,000 feet, and is powered by a 170-horsepower turbodiesel engine.
With its foldable wing structure, the TB3 can operate from naval vessels and conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence, and strike missions across multiple domains.
It is equipped with fully autonomous takeoff and landing capabilities and can be operated using both line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communications. The platform can carry up to six munitions, including laser-guided munitions, INS/GPS-guided weapons, infrared-guided systems and air-to-air munitions.
The Bayraktar TB3 has previously conducted successful launches using domestically produced munitions, including MAM-T, MAM-L and UAV-122. It reached an altitude of 36,310 feet, or 11,067 meters, on June 25, 2024, powered by the locally developed PD-170 engine produced by TEI.
The UCAV is expected to become the leading platform in its class once it enters service, combining its folding wing structure with extended operational capabilities.
It will also feature beyond-line-of-sight communication, allowing control from very long distances, and is expected to enhance Türkiye’s deterrence by conducting reconnaissance, intelligence and strike missions against overseas targets using smart munitions.
Baykar, the manufacturer of the Bayraktar TB3, became the export leader of Türkiye’s defense and aerospace sector in 2021, 2022 and 2023, according to data from the Secretariat of Defense Industries and the Turkish Exporters Assembly.
Since the start of its UAV research and development efforts in 2003, the company has generated 83% of its revenues from exports.
Baykar recorded exports worth $1.8 billion in 2023, ranking among the top 10 exporting companies across all sectors in Türkiye.
The company maintained its global performance in 2024, again posting sales of $1.8 billion, with 90% of its revenues coming from exports.
The company accounted for one-third of Türkiye’s defense and aerospace exports in 2023 and one-fourth of the sector’s total exports in 2024, positioning Türkiye as the world’s leading exporter in the global UAV market.
Baykar has signed export agreements with 35 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and with 15 countries for the Bayraktar Akinci UCAV.
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