The company Baykar is known in Ukraine primarily as the manufacturer of the world-famous Bayraktar TB2. In addition to this most popular model, Baykar produces combat UAVs such as the AKINCI, Bayraktar TB2 and TB3, the unmanned fighter KIZILELMA, and other advanced developments, including the flying car CEZERİ.
According to the company’s website, the legendary Bayraktar TB2 has already logged one million flight hours and continues to build on that record. Today more than 7,000 people work at Baykar’s factory in Istanbul. Construction continues around the site — the company is expanding its capacity in Türkiye and has also acquired enterprises abroad. It is hard to believe that the company did not start out with drones at all but with auto parts and aircraft parts, and that its first “office” and production unit was an ordinary garage.
The first export delivery was made to Ukraine in 2019. Today 90% of revenue comes from exports to 36 countries worldwide. According to industry estimates, Baykar is already three times larger than its nearest American competitor and holds roughly 60% of the global UAV market.
At the end of last year Baykar purchased the Italian company Piaggio Aerospace, a manufacturer of aircraft engines that has been operating since 1884. A partnership and the establishment of a joint venture with another Italian company, Leonardo, have also been agreed upon to develop unmanned technologies.
The Baykar company was founded in 1986 by the father of the current leaders and brothers — Haluk Bayraktar (CEO) and Selçuk Bayraktar (CTO and Chairman of the Board). Özdemir Bayraktar was the “heart and soul” of this project until his last days; today the national technical center bears his name.
We speak with the CEO of Baykar about the secrets of success, the company’s development prospects and the military-technical sector, expansion into international markets, cooperation with Ukraine, and prospects for launching a plant near Kyiv.
BAYKAR – NOT A COMMERCIAL PROJECT, IT’S A NATIONAL IDEA
- Mr. Haluk, how many years did it take for Baykar to grow from a “garage startup” into a world leader in the UAV industry? How did that journey unfold?
- This journey, which began with determination and faith, has reached its current point as the product of forty years of effort. It is also the result of a struggle that, especially over the last twenty years, has focused on unmanned aerial vehicles. Our journey began with the dream of my late father, Özdemir Bayraktar, to make Türkiye independent in high technology. For us, this work was much more than a commercial activity — it was a national ideal. Success came by advancing step by step. We started with the Bayraktar Mini UAV, and we perfected the Bayraktar TB2 with feedback from the field. Each of our projects became the foundation for the next. This accumulation carried us to strategic platforms such as AKINCI and KIZILELMA. In short, this intense process of twenty years was shaped by faith in a national ideal, by working shoulder to shoulder with the end user — the Turkish soldiers in regions affected by terrorism — and by an unyielding determination never to give up.
THE SECRET OF BAYKAR'S SUCCESS IS A MOTIVATING ENVIRONMENT, THE TEAM, AND WORK WITH USERS
- What would you say are the main secrets of success you have identified?
- We can trace the secret of our success back to a few fundamental principles. For us, this work is not about making money but about the cause of Türkiye’s technological independence. This spirit of the National Technology Initiative (the national strategy for the development of Türkiye’s technology sector until 2030 – ed.) has been the main source of motivation for our entire team, even in the most difficult times.
At the same time, we work with Türkiye’s brightest, youngest, and most dynamic minds. We trust them, we give them responsibility. We create an environment where they are not afraid to make mistakes, where they constantly experiment and produce. The true owners of our success are our teammates who have dedicated themselves to this journey.
In addition, unlike the large and cumbersome defense companies, we are able to make decisions and put them into practice very quickly. Our greatest difference, however, is that we develop our products together with the soldiers in the field, who are our end users. Their experience has been our most valuable contribution to R&D, and it has guided us toward producing the most effective and rapid solutions.
WE WANT TO BECOME A PARTNER IN EUROPE’S SECURITY ARCHITECTURE
- Over the past year the Baykar company has significantly expanded, holding 60% of the global market for combat UAVs, and with the additions of Piaggio Aerospace and Leonardo it has become international. What are your plans and goals for the near future and beyond? How do you envision the development of unmanned systems generally — and Baykar specifically — over the next 10, 20, and 50 years?
- Our concrete achievements in the recent past are the most obvious indicators of how we are shaping the future. Bayraktar TB3 has completed its tests aboard TCG Anadolu (the world’s first unmanned aerial vehicle carrier – ed.) to become a force multiplier in the Turkish military’s inventory. We also aim to complete the serial production and inventory admission of our unmanned fighter jet KIZILELMA. Meanwhile, innovative projects like the AI-based mini cruise missile KEMANKEŞ are constantly expanding our skill set. With this technological experience, we want to go beyond a supplier of products and to become a strategic and indepensable technology partner in Europe’s security architecture.
When I think about the future, I foresee that within the next 10 years the world will shift from individual platforms to intelligent, networked swarms. The paradigm will evolve from building the best single platform to managing the smartest swarm. Our role is to design the artificial intelligence that will serve as the brain of these swarms, as well as pioneering actors like KIZILELMA. Within 20 years, the human–machine relationship may evolve into a partnership that thinks and debates together — in other words, thinking machines could become our teammates. And within 50 years, I believe the world will witness integrated autonomous ecosystems that operate seamlessly across all domains — air, land, sea, cyber, and space.
COOPERATION WITH UKRAINE AND OTHER PARTNERS HAS LONG GONE BEYOND COMMERCIAL RELATIONS
- Which countries are Baykar’s key partners today in terms of drone exports?
- We are currently exporting to 36 countries and exports account for more than 90 percent of our revenue. Therefore, I must say that we see each nation, to whom we are exporting, as a strategic stakeholder rather than mention a single key partner. We do not see this relationship as a mere transaction. For us, these exports represent a deep cooperation that contributes to the sovereignty and defense capabilities of friendly nations.
Of course, our relationship with some countries have a special meaning – historically and strategically. Our bond with Ukraine has been shaped by a spirit of solidarity, which emerged at a difficult time and went beyond trade. The role of our technology in the righteous victory of Azerbaijan, our sister country, in Karabakh was also a reflection of the ethos of “two state, one nation.” Our exports to NATO and EU members like Poland, Romania, Croatia, and Albania signified the high standards that our technology has reached and that it has been widely accepted within the Western alliance. In the Gulf region, we have long-term and strategic partnerships with Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Moreover, we are contributing to the security and stbaility of friendly nations in many parts of the world – from Africa to Asia. For us, every single partner is equally valuable.
THE KIZILELMA UAV FIGHTER WILL CHANGE THE RULES OF AIR COMBAT
- Baykar is preparing for a new global “breakthrough” — launching mass production of the unmanned fighter KIZILELMA. At what stage is this project now? When could these fighters potentially be commissioned by the Turkish armed forces, and when might they be available for export?
- Bayraktar KIZILELMA will be a revolutionary platform that rewrites the rules of air combat. At the current advanced stage of the project, we are conducting demanding performance and verification tests that cover a variety of mission scenarios. The project has matured to the point of entering the inventory. As always, our top priority is the Turkish Armed Forces. Our goal is to begin delivering KIZILELMA to the Turkish Armed Forces inventory starting in 2026. There is already tremendous global interest and demand for KIZILELMA. We are already working on a roadmap to properly meet these intense export requests.
OUR NEXT GOAL — TO TRANSFORM TÜRKİYE INTO A SPACE STATE
- One of Baykar’s subsidiaries works on space-related developments. What are Baykar’s plans regarding space exploration?
- For us, space is a natural extension of the National Technology Initiative, which we launched in aviation, and our next target. Just as we aimed for full independence in the skies, we are moving forward with the same vision in space. Our plan is to establish a multifaceted space ecosystem. Our priority is satellite constellation projects that will provide Türkiye with secure and high-speed communication and observation capabilities on a global scale. We are not only building satellites but also developing orbital transfer vehicles that can move satellites between orbits and provide services to them. We see this as a key capability in space logistics. One of our ultimate goals is to launch our satellites into space with our own launch systems. In short, our objective is to transform Türkiye from a country that merely uses space technologies into a power that develops technologies in this field, sets the standards, and becomes a game changer.
OUR GREATEST STRENGTH LIES IN OUR TEAM OF BRIGHT AND TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE
- After visiting the Baykar factory I noticed the workforce is fairly young and there are many women, which is rather atypical for a technical enterprise in Türkiye. What is the average age of your employees? What personnel policy do you follow? How do you recruit and train staff?
- Your observation reflects one of the fundamental secrets of our success and we are immensely proud of it. Baykar is at the heart of a technological revolution pioneered by young people and women. The average age of our colleagues is below 30. The foundation of our philosophy is a meritocratic system that values potential and passion. We are giving Türkiye’s bright minds responsibilities, which will help their development, early in their careers and showing them that we trust them. They are not our employees but our companions in the National Technology Initiative.
To sustain this ecosystem, we are building our own talent pool. At the center of this process is our internship program. Through Teknofest — the world’s largest aviation, space, and technology festival — we ignite a passion for technology in the hearts of millions of young people. Each year, we welcome more than 1,500 interns, offering them the opportunity to work directly on our projects. Rather than just an internship, we see this as a discovery process. Many of our teammates are chosen from among the young people whose potential, passion, and compatibility with our institutional culture we recognize through this program. Our institutional culture is passed down organically from generation to generation through this master–apprentice relationship.
In addition, we run special programs designed to recruit the brightest candidates directly from universities, such as the “High-Altitude Talent Program”, which offers an accelerated career path for the technology leaders of the future while dynamically nourishing our institutional culture. With Baykar Science High School, we aim to build this vision from the very foundations, starting in high school.
In short, we are not merely producing UAVs. Our aim is to raise a generation that will leave its mark on Türkiye’s future — a generation that is self-confident, that designs and produces technology. Our greatest strength is our team, made up of these bright young people.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BAYKAR FACTORY IS A SYMBOL OF OUR BELIEF IN UKRAINE’S FUTURE
- Türkiye and your company were the only ones willing to sell combat drones to Ukraine in 2018, and by 2022 the Bayraktar TB2 had already changed the course of the war. Later you donated new Bayraktar TB2 to Ukraine, supporting charitable fundraising in various countries. You also built the factory in Ukraine… We are endlessly thankful for this invaluable support. Could you elaborate on how the decision to supply combat drones to Ukraine was reached, and whether you encountered opposition to this or other related initiatives, particularly from Russia or its allies?
- Our relationship with Ukraine goes well beyond a simple trade agreement. At the foundation of this relationship are our friendship, which focuses on Ukraine’s total independence and territorial integrity, and our spirit of cooperation. Ukraine did not decide to buy armed UAVs overnight. Ukraine had been wanting to integrate this doctrinal shift to its military since 2017. We believe that a sovereign nation has the right to defend itself – which is fully compliant with international law. The steps taken in 2018 were part of Ukraine’s long-term vision. Our later decisions to grant, in turn, came in response to the Ukrainian people’s incredible resistance and the sincere spirit of solidarity and goodness led by people around the globe. For us, that was a moral obligation.
Of course, strategic cooperations of this scale attract attention in the international arena and are echoed in various ways. However, Baykar is an independent Turkish tech company that acts in line with its own principles. We make all decisions in line with our country’s laws, international law, and ethical principles. We are careful not to move away from our principled and just stance no matter what. The factory we have built in Ukraine, too, is the most concrete symbol of our faith in Ukraine’s bright future.
- Unfortunately, the Baykar plant in Ukraine was recently struck by a Russian attack. What were the consequences and what are your plans for the development of this project?
- First and foremost, this attack was yet another indicator of the ruthlessness that the Ukrainian people continue to face bravely every single day. The safety of our Ukrainian colleagues has been our most serious concern and top priority. We are grateful that the attack did not result in any casualties. Of course, the facility suffered some structural and material damage. Yet iron, concrete and buildings can be built anew. What really matters is our will and faith in this project. No missile can hurt our friendship. This attack did not result in any changes to our plans. We have completed the damage assessment and we are moving forward as planned.
BAYKAR CONTINUES TO USE UKRAINIAN-MADE ENGINES IN ITS UAVs
- Previously Baykar drones were equipped with engines manufactured in Ukraine. The full-scale war has disrupted that cooperation. How did Baykar respond to this situation? Which engines are you currently using on your drones?
- With regard to engine technologies, we have had a long-standing, productive, and successful cooperation with our Ukrainian strategic partners. It is true that the war has affected this cooperation and we are watching the Ukrainian industry’s resilience under such difficult circumstances with deep appreciation.
This process has reaffirmed the vital nature of our goal of attaining total independence in critical industries, which is Baykar’s core philosophy. Our existing cooperations (with Ukraine – ed.) remain intact. At the same time, we are redoubling our localization efforts and diversifying our supply channels.
We have built our own engine for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV. Meanwhile, the Bayraktar TB3 platform is powered by the indigenous engine, which was developed by the Turkish company TEI. And we are actively using engines from our Ukrainian partners in strategic platforms like AKINCI and KIZILELMA which require more power and higher performance. We are completely happy with that cooperation. Of course, both we and other Turkish companies with the right capabilities continue to develop indigenous engines for those platforms in line with our nation’s goal of total independence.
- During the tour of the Baykar factory in Istanbul we met a group of Ukrainians undergoing an internship there. Will they later work at the Ukrainian plant?
- We are working shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine’s immensely talented engineers and technicians at our headquarters in Istanbul. We view this relationship as mutual experience and capability sharing rather than a one-sided training program. After all, we seriously benefit from their deep engineering experience and unique perspectives throughout our R&D and production processes in Türkiye. Moreover, we are adding to the capabilities of future Ukrainian engineers and technicians through our internship program. They are not only adding to our existing strength but also naturally forming the future core team of our investment in Ukraine.
THE GREATEST REWARD IS HELPING HEROES COMPLETE THEIR MISSIONS ON THE BATTLEFIELD
- The company’s official website states that the Bayraktar TB2 has logged 1 million flight hours (that’s more than 114 years in the air) and set an endurance record of 27 hours and 3 minutes. Does this refer to the cumulative flight hours of all Bayraktar TB2s worldwide? An impressive figure… Are you planning to submit Bayraktar TB2 for a Guinness World Record?
- The milestone in question — 1 million flight hours — represents the total flight time of our entire Bayraktar TB2 fleet, operating across different geographies worldwide and under the most challenging conditions. As of now, our successful flight hours have already surpassed 1 million 250 thousand. For us, this figure is more than just a statistic; it is the most concrete proof of our system’s reliability, durability, and operational maturity in the field. Each hour represents a successfully completed mission and the trust our users place in us.
Thank you for your kind suggestion regarding an application to the Guinness Book of Records. However, for us, the real record is not entering a book but making a difference in the field with our technology. Our greatest reward is enabling the heroes who use our systems to carry out their missions more safely and effectively. The record we truly focus on is preserving this trust, surpassing millions of successful flight hours in the shortest time possible, and, with this accumulated experience, preparing our next-generation platforms — such as Bayraktar KIZILELMA — to enter service as forces that set the standards in their class.
BAYKAR IS READY TO TAKE PART IN BLACK SEA SECURITY INITIATIVES
- Türkiye has expressed readiness at the Black Sea security coalition meeting to help secure the Black Sea. Do you think Bayraktar TB2s or other Baykar “wings” could be involved in this initiative?
- With its history and strategic location, Türkiye is the most important regional power guaranteeing peace and stability in the Black Sea. We fully support the policies and initiatives of our state in this regard. We believe that the primary purpose of high technology is to provide deterrence and enhance situational awareness in order to prevent conflicts before they even begin. In line with this philosophy, our technologies are ready to serve the goal of ensuring that the Black Sea remains a sea of peace and stability.
- In September Ukraine resumed use of Bayraktar TB2 in Crimea and in the Kherson region. The main danger was being shot down by air defenses; now that issue has been mitigated by suppressing Russian air defenses. Does Baykar use battlefield experience gained in Ukraine to improve its drones? Do you receive feedback?
This point lies at the very heart of Baykar’s design and development philosophy. For us, feedback from the field — especially from the world’s most challenging battlefield, Ukraine — is the most valuable input for R&D. We maintain a constant 24/7 flow of communication and data with all our users. Thanks to this feedback loop, the Bayraktar TB2 is a continuously evolving, living system. While a Bayraktar TB2 produced today may look the same from the outside as the first TB2s that entered the inventory in 2014, in terms of capabilities there is a world of difference.
Olga Budnyk, Istanbul-Аnkara
Photo creditL Baykar