Türkiye’s pioneering drone maker said Wednesday it had successfully completed the latest high-speed roll test of its new unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), which is tailored for the country’s newly commissioned aircraft carrier.
TB3, a short-runway-capable version of Baykar’s famed TB2 platform, rolled out on a runway in northwestern Türkiye, according to a video shared by Selçuk Bayraktar, the company’s chief technology officer (CTO).
The video on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, showed TB3 briefly taking off before landing at the Çorlu Flight Training and Test Center.
It marked TB3’s third high-speed roll test this month. The company earlier said the platform would soon perform its maiden flight.
The TB3 is the first of its kind, boasting the ability to fold its wings and capable of landing and taking off from a ship.
It is expected to be able to stay in the air more, climb to higher altitudes, and carry more weapons than TB2, which helped swing conflicts in multiple countries, such as Azerbaijan and Libya, and lastly in Ukraine.
They played a pivotal role in countering Russian forces early into Moscow’s invasion.
The TB3 is designed for deployment from a newly commissioned aircraft carrier, the TCG Anadolu, also dubbed the world’s first drone carrier.
The ship’s air wing will also consist of Baykar’s unmanned fighter jet Kızılelma, which completed its maiden flight last December.
Kızılelma represents a significant expansion of capabilities for slow-moving reconnaissance and missile-carrying drones. It promises to increase the top speed and carrying capacity of the existing platforms.
Powered by a jet engine, Kızılelma shows similar exterior features to fifth-generation fighter jets. In addition to conventional drone missions, it will be able to conduct air-to-air engagements.
The TB3 is expected to have a range of 1,000 nautical miles, that is, 1,900 kilometers.
