US Media Analysis: Turkey’s game-changing İHA knocked West off its throne

Published on Dec. 9, the report by San Francisco-based Bismarck Analysis founder Samo Burja called Turkey an ‘unexpected player’ that has been driving the adoption of drones

A fresh analysis by a U.S.-based political risk consultancy firm has heaped praise on Turkey’s fast-growing drone industry, as the country’s globally lauded unmanned combat aerial vehicles continue to make headlines with more countries lining up to purchase the game-changing drones.

Published on Dec. 9, the report by San Francisco-based Bismarck Analysis founder Samo Burja called Turkey an “unexpected player” that has been driving the adoption of drones, which were “once a symbol of Western air supremacy.”

“Battle-tested and cheaper than a high end U.S. or Israeli drone, the TB-2 has become the flagship of its developer, the Turkish defense company Baykar,” continued Burja.

Burja also pointed out that the fast growing drone industry has become a source of national pride for Turkey’s government.

“By marrying industrial policy to local technical talent, Turkey has reached the leading edge of drone development. Turkey’s newfound airpower is expanding Turkish ambitions,” concluded Burja.

The Bayraktar TB2 armed UAV, which was developed and manufactured by Turkish defense company Baykar Technologies, has been used by the Turkish Armed Forces and the country’s Security Directorate since 2015, most recently credited for Azerbaijan’s military success in the Karabakh conflict.