Bayraktar TB3 combat drone: Baykar completes trials on the aircraft carrier “TCG Anadolu”

The Baykar Bayraktar TB3 combat drone completed four successful sorties in a single day – launched from Türkiye's first aircraft carrier, “TCG Anadolu”, operating in the Gulf of Saros. All take-offs and landings were fully autonomous. According to the Turkish Ministry of Defence, the TB3 take-off and landing tests on the multi-purpose amphibious ship have thus been successfully completed.

???????? #23Nisan Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramımız kutlu olsun.
Mavi Vatan’da Senfoni.. ???? ????
Symphony at sea..#BayraktarTB3 ✈️⚓️????
???? Uzun versiyon – Long version pic.twitter.com/DL98BZmXO2

The Bayraktar TB3 SİHA has so far logged 1,016 hours and 42 minutes of flight time in the test flight programme. Tests successfully completed include an altitude of 11,070 metres, a 32-hour flight covering 5,700 kilometres and various weapons tests. In trials at sea, the Bayraktar TB3 PT2 took off successfully from “TCG Anadolu” for the first time on 19 November 2024. After 46 minutes, it landed again on Türkiye's first aircraft carrier autonomously and without landing aids.

At the end of March came successful firing tests with Roketsan's İHA-122 supersonic missile against a sea target. From more than 50 kilometres away, the Bayraktar TB3 fired the missile at a 6×6 metre target that a Bayraktar TB2 had designated by laser.

Dünya havacılık tarihinde kısa pistli gemiden inip kalkan ilk SİHA olan #BayraktarTB3, Roketsan’ın geliştirdiği İHA-122 Süpersonik Füze ile ilk atışında 50+ km mesafedeki 6×6 metrelik hedefi deniz üstünde tam isabetle vurdu! ????
????Hedefi havadaki #BayraktarTB2 lazerle işaretledi.… pic.twitter.com/ZiFRXI9vf8

What makes the combat drone suitable for carrier operations

The Bayraktar TB3 is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), i.e. an armed unmanned aircraft system, which Baykar is still developing. It can take off and land on aircraft carriers with short runways. Folding wings make the best possible use of space on board.

The Bayraktar TB3 UCAV is suited to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, but can also fly strike operations with smart munitions under its wings.

Line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communications also allow the Bayraktar TB3 to be controlled from very long distances.

With a length of 8.35 metres, a height of 2.6 metres and a wingspan of 14 metres, the Bayraktar TB3 has a maximum take-off weight of 1,600 kilograms. It operates at around 6,000 metres and reaches a maximum of around 7,600 metres. Powered by a 170 hp turbodiesel, it flies at up to 240 km/h.

Sevdamızın peşini hiç bırakmadık… ????????✈️
We never stopped chasing what we love… ????????✈️#BayraktarTB3 ✈️ TCG-ANADOLU ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/J6iOAmuFNc

As an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), it carries a payload of up to 280 kilograms and stays airborne for more than 21 hours. Take-offs and landings can be fully autonomous, including on aircraft carriers.

Baykar Technology employs around 5,100 people in Istanbul. The company generates around 90 per cent of its revenue from exports.