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Croatia’s defense minister on Wednesday praised Türkiye’s homegrown Bayraktar TB2 armed drones after six newly delivered aircraft entered the country’s military inventory.
Ivan Anusic said on X that soldiers who completed training on the drones had demonstrated their operational skills.
“Six Bayraktar TB2s equipped with modern weaponry bring new capabilities to the Croatian army in combat operations, border surveillance, reconnaissance, and firefighting. This makes a significant contribution to strengthening national security and defense capacity,” Anusic wrote.
Croatia signed an agreement in November 2024 with Turkish defense manufacturer Baykar for the export of TB2s, joining a growing list of NATO and EU nations operating the system. The drone is now in service with six NATO members and four EU countries.
First deployed by the Turkish armed forces in 2014, the Bayraktar TB2 has logged 950,000 flight hours globally as of September 2024. Manufactured with a 93% localization rate, it is Türkiye’s longest-serving aviation platform and holds multiple records, including a national altitude record of 27,030 feet and an endurance record of more than 27 hours under harsh conditions.
In May 2024, the TB2 became the first armed drone in the world to autonomously perform a barrel roll, a maneuver previously exclusive to fighter jets.
Türkiye has since emerged as the world’s top drone exporter, controlling 65% of the global market. Baykar alone accounts for 60%, Chairman Selcuk Bayraktar said in late August during Victory Day naval celebrations aboard the TCG Anadolu.
Speaking to reporters during the “Victory Journey” event in the Istanbul Strait, Bayraktar said the company exports drones to 37 countries and generates 90% of its revenue from international sales.
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