Andriy Yermak
On December 25, the Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, claimed that Ukraine has launched its own production of Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Previously, only engines for the Bayraktar TB2 UAvs were produced in in Ukraine, and today the country produces the whole drones.
Mr Yermak made the claim in his interview to the Ukrainian Focus news agency.
“We are expanding our cooperation with Turkey. It all started with the supply of Bayraktars, and now their production has already been launched in Ukraine,” Yermak said.
Earlier, adviser to the head of the Office of the Ukrainian President Alexey Arestovich said that ANKA-type jet unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will be created at the new Ukrainian-Turkish plant. According to Arestovich, the new generation of ANKA UaVs will surpass the Bayraktar for all indicators.
“That is, they are able to act against aerial objects, against other drones. Even against manned aircraft. They will have Ukrainian engines and the rest of the Turkish avionics: the hull etc,” Arestovich said.
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The Ukrainian Navy accepted received its first Bayraktar TB-2 combat drone on July 15th. Baykar announced in 2019 that it won a $69 million contract to sell six TB2 combat UAVs to Ukraine. Turkish officials said the deal included ammunition for the armed drones.
On October 26, the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drone carried out its first (and the only one so far) attack on frontlines in Eastern Ukraine, which was confirmed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
