During President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Gulf powerhouse signed five agreements aimed at strengthening their cooperation in economic, defense, and energy sectors, as per Turkish officials’ announcement on Tuesday.
One of the significant deals was signed between Turkey’s leading drone manufacturer, Baykar, represented by CEO Haluk Bayraktar, and Deputy Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud.
Although specific details were not disclosed, Al Saud mentioned that the deal consists of two acquisition contracts and is intended to enhance the readiness of Saudi Arabia’s armed forces while bolstering its defense and manufacturing capabilities.
Baykar’s CEO, Haluk Bayraktar, referred to this deal as the most substantial defense and aviation export contract in Turkey’s history in a Twitter post. He further revealed that the deal involves exporting the Akinci TIHA, a high-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle.
Back in 2021, President Erdogan had previously disclosed Saudi Arabia’s interest in purchasing Baykar drones and establishing a joint manufacturing plant for drone production. The Kingdom became the eighth country to purchase Akinci combat drones from Baykar.
Baykar is also known for manufacturing Bayraktar TB2 drones, which have been exported to 30 countries, including countries in the Middle East and North Africa such as Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, and Iraq. Additionally, several NATO and European Union member states have also acquired these drones.
