Turkish Weapons Company Baykar Sold 20 Armed Drones to UAE

Turkish weapons manufacturing company Baykar has delivered 20 armed drones to the United Arab Emirates and is open to selling more, Reuters first reported, citing unnamed senior Turkish officials. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia also is negotiating to purchase Bayraktar TB2 drones from Ankara as well as to set up a manufacturing factory for the drones in the kingdom. Both Gulf states, with which Turkey currently is reestablishing ties, have suffered drone attacks on cities and oil facilities blamed on the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

The company donated Bayraktar TB2 drones to Ukraine’s war effort, and Ukraine used them early in the conflict to strike Russian military convoys and sink Russian naval vessels. These successes have helped spur the Baykar company’s sales of its drones. Last month Baykar signed export contracts for the TB2 with 22 countries and its production is booked for the next three years, Reuters reported.