Baykar factory in Ukraine will be able to produce 120 drones annually - CEO
Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar said this on the sidelines of the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Ukrinform reports, referring to Reuters.
"Our factory is being built… we need about 12 months to finish construction and then we will move on to internal machinery, equipment, and organizational structure," said Baykar CEO.
He noted that capacity would total around 120 units every year, but said it was still not clear whether production at the Ukrainian factory would focus on the TB2 or TB3 drone model.
"The factory in Ukraine is a big one, we are planning to employ around 500 people," he said.
Asked if security issues related to the ongoing conflict would pose a concern for the plant, Bayraktar said that plans were "fully moving ahead" and that "nothing" could halt them.
In addition, he said the Istanbul-based firm's plans to start production in Saudi Arabia in the next two years were on track. It is also planned to double domestic production of the Akinci in Turkey, which stood at 36 units in 2023, while TB2 output would stay unchanged at 230 units.
As Ukrinform reported, Turkey’s defence company Baykar is investing $100 million in three projects in Ukraine, including the construction of a drone manufacturing plant.
