Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Business
  • Automotive
  • Economy
  • Energy
  • Finance
  • Tourism
  • Tech
  • Defense
  • Transportation
  • News Analysis

Turkey to build drone base in eastern Erzurum province

by DAILY SABAH

ISTANBUL Mar 12, 2020 - 4:19 pm GMT+3
AA Photo
AA Photo
by DAILY SABAH Mar 12, 2020 4:19 pm

Turkey will build a drone control center in eastern Erzurum province to target terrorist positions in the Eastern Anatolia region, Turkish officials said Thursday.

Turkish-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been crucial in the country’s war on terror thanks to their pinpoint accuracy demonstrated in anti-terror operations carried out by the security forces.

The control center is expected to be operational soon.

According to the Erzurum Gov. Okay Memiş, Turkey is one of the first three countries that started to use drones, including combat ones, in their operations.

Memiş said the fight against terrorism is the essential duty of a state. He added that terrorists hiding in Erzurum were neutralized thanks to persistent counterterrorism operations. Memiş there is not even a single terrorist present in his province.

“Gendarme and police are on duty 24 hours a day. We are constantly preparing for possible incidents. I visit those areas almost every month. Fighting terrorism is not just the job of the police, gendarmes or soldiers,” he said.

Turkish security forces regularly conduct counterterrorism operations in the eastern and southeastern provinces of Turkey, where the PKK terrorist group has attempted to establish a strong presence and bases. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) also carries out cross-border operations in northern Iraq, a region where PKK terrorists have hideouts and bases from which they can carry out attacks on Turkey.

Turkey has been working on developing its first drone fleet since the 2000s. Within a decade and a half, it has developed armed and unarmed drones and begun selling them to the Turkish army as well as to Ukraine and Qatar.

Domestically produced UAVs have been operational since 2015 and were used to support Turkey's fight against terror on its southern border and during cross-border operations in Syria, including Euphrates Shield in 2016-2017, Olive Branch in 2018, Peace Spring in 2019 and Peace Shield in 2020.

A recent report said the Turkish military's "devastating display of power" using drones against the Syrian regime in Operation Peace Shield has changed the military equation against Russia.

U.S. news site Insider said that NATO security officials stressed Turkey has "a new ace up its sleeve" with new weapons that forced Russia to think twice about escalating against the Turkish government.

The report called Turkey's fleet of 100 domestically produced drones, which was used in the operation, "cheap guided munitions with deadly efficiency."

"The Turks have been developing their own drone program for almost a decade now, and Idlib highlights how successful they have been," a NATO military official, who has been regularly based in the region in the past 10 years, told Insider anonymously.

"By domestically producing them with commercially available technology, they managed to build a very large and effective fleet far more cheaply than purchasing them from the U.S. or other allies," the official said.

"And because of their conflict with the PKK (terrorist group), they've had years to practice and hone their capability without concerns about human rights conditions," the official added.

The source said the U.S. restriction on arms sales helped Turkey's development with drone technology.

"By 2007, the Turkish military had tired of limitations on what it could buy from the Americans. Disappointed by the poor performance of Israeli drones on the market, it then began to develop its own program," the official said.

"Flying dozens of these drones over Idlib and dropping these bomblets on Syrian regime tanks all night got (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's attention," the NATO official added.

  • shortlink copied
  • RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    defense industry drones war on terror turkey
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Percival Lugue, who has the Guinness world record for the largest fast-food toy collection, poses with his toy collection in his home in Apalit, Pampanga province, Philippines, April 20, 2021. (REUTERS Photo)

    Filipino man collects record 200,000 toys from fast-food chains

    TOY-MANIA
    Parts of the newly completed last section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, Istanbul, Turkey, May 19, 2021. (DHA Photo)

    Turkey raises speed limits on highways starting from July

    SPEED-LIMIT

    Türkiye inaugurates biggest natural gas storage facility in Europe

    NATURAL-GAS-SUPPLIES

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    Panda Bing Dwen Dwen: Mascot madness takes over Beijing Olympics
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021