Albania to be Turkey’s next client for Bayraktar TB2

On June 29, Turkish company Bayrak revealed that Albania will be the next buyer of UCAV Bayraktar TB2.

Albania is the last client interested in concluding an agreement for the acquisition of Bayraktar TB2, which is already in the service of Azerbaijan, Qatar, Ukraine and will also be delivered to Poland under a recent agreement.

The Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been deployed by the Turkish Armed Forces in Syria and Libya with various operational roles, from the neutralization of enemy air defence systems, the protection of airports by the Azerbaijani armed forces with complete success against equipment, personnel and facilities.

The agreement between Turkey and Albania was reached after the visit of the Minister of Interior of Albania, Bilder Suci, to Turkey.

After visiting the production plant of Bayraktar TB2 in Istanbul, Suci said his country would most likely purchase the Turkish UAV.

Also read: Ukraine has received Javelin and Bayraktar TB2 systems | VIDEO

“We are considering the possibility of using Turkish UCAVs for political and military purposes in Albania,” he said.

Among the countries using the Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs, Poland’s interest was particularly significant as it became the first NATO member state to commit to purchase Turkish UAVs. Warsaw signed the relevant agreement for the purchase of 24 Bayraktar TB2 last May.

Authorities in Turkey say the country has become the fourth largest producer of UAVs in the world since Ankara decided to invest in domestic production to mitigate its reliance on Western weapons.

According to information from the Turkish press, the agreement between Turkey and Albania for the sale of Bayraktar TB2 will amount to 9 million dollars. 

Latvia is likely to be the second European Union and NATO member state to acquire Turkish UAVs, after Poland.

The Bayraktar TB2, according to Baykar, is the most advanced UAV system in the world with its automation and performance.

Also read: Turkish UAVs and the case of Cyprus | What the Defence Committee Chairman told DEFENCE ReDEFiNED