Baykar Bayraktar TB3

Bayraktar TB3
Baykar Bayraktar TB3 on the deck of TCG Anadolu
Role	Carrier-based Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
National origin	Turkey
Manufacturer	Baykar
First flight	27 October 2023 [1]
Introduction	2025 (planned)
Status	Flight testing
Primary user	Turkish Armed Forces (intended)
Number built	2 prototypes
Developed from	Baykar Bayraktar TB2

The Baykar Bayraktar TB3 is a Turkish carrier-based medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) capable of short-range landing and take-off, produced by Baykar.

Development

The Bayraktar TB3 was first unveiled by Selçuk Bayraktar on October 29, 2020. In his announcement, Bayraktar mentioned the testing of a domestic engine, presumed to be the TEI-PD170 or its derivative, which would be integrated into the Bayraktar Akıncı HALE UAV and the Bayraktar TB3. Describing the engine as having "by far the highest performance values in its class, worldwide", Selçuk Bayraktar highlighted its capabilities.

Selçuk Bayraktar later elaborated on the Bayraktar TB3, stating, "We are developing an aircraft that lands and takes off from an aircraft carrier, unique in its class. It has folding wings, can land on an aircraft carrier, and can carry heavier munitions. It is around 1200 kilograms." ^[2]

The developer of TB3, Baykar Defense, shared the first computer-generated images of the deployed TB3 on TCG Anadolu, which is the first amphibious assault ship of Turkey, on July 21, 2021, via Twitter. It was revealed that the TB3 would operate alongside Bayraktar Kızılelma, which is equipped with a jet engine. ^[3]

In February 2025, Indonesia ordered 240 TB3 UAV. ^{[4] [5] [ better source needed ]}

Development Timeline

• 27 March 2023: First prototype of the TB3 has been made public. ^[6]
• 13 October 2023: Successful completion of TB3's first test run. ^[7]
• 20 October 2023: Conducted the initial take-off and landing test, achieving high speeds and briefly took the wheels off from the ground, without fully flying into the sky. ^[8]
• 27 October 2023: Maiden flight took place, just two days before the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. ^[9]
• 11 November 2023: The aircraft flew with its landing gear retracted for the first time. ^[10]
• 1 June 2024: The first successful ski-jump ramp test of the TB3 was conducted on a mainland ramp, which was carefully designed to replicate the TCG Anadolu's deck. ^[11]
• 19 November 2024: The TB3 drone successfully took off from and landed on the deck of the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu. ^{[12] [13]} It was the first time a fixed-wing unmanned aircraft of this size and class had successfully took off from and landed on a Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) that has been repurposed by Turkey to serve as a drone carrier. ^{[14] [15] [16]}

Specifications (Bayraktar TB3)

UMTAS missile to be used in TB3

General characteristicsPerformance

Data from official Baykar infographic. ^[18]

General characteristics

• Crew: 0 onboard
• Length:8.35 m (27.4 ft)
• Height:2.6 m (8.5 ft)
• Wing span:14 m (46 ft)
• Max take-off weight:1,450 kg (3,200 lb)
• Payload capacity:280 kg (620 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × TEI-PD170

Performance

• Maximum speed: 160 knots (300 km/h)
• Cruise speed:125 knots (232 km/h)
• Communication range: line-of-sight propagation
• Operational range:1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km)

Armaments

• 

  The Smart Micro Munition (MAM-L) and behind it MAM-C high explosive variant

  Hardpoints: 6 hardpoints for laser-guided smart munition, with provisions to carry combinations of :
  • L-UMTAS (Long Range Anti tank Missile System) ^[19]
  • MAM: MAM-C, MAM-L and MAM-T precision-guided munitions ^{[20] [21] [22]}
  • Roketsan Cirit (70 mm Missile System) ^[23]
  • TUBITAK-SAGE BOZOK Laser Guided Rockets ^[24]
  • TUBITAK-SAGE TOGAN ^[25] Air-to-surface launched 81 mm mortar munition ^[26]
  • TUBITAK-SAGE KUZGUN ^[27] Modular joint ammunition ^{[28] [29]} KUZGUN-TjM Turkish : TjM :Turbojet Motorlu Turbojet engine variant with range of 245 kilometers and KUZGUN-SS Turkish : SS: Serbest Süzülen Free Soaring variant range of 110 kilometers variants in use ^[30]

Avionics

• Interchangeable EO/IR/LD imaging and targeting sensor systems or Multi Mode AESA Radar:
  • Aselsan CATS EO/IR/LD imaging and targeting sensor (expected)

Operators

Future Operators

  Turkey

• Turkish Naval Forces

  Indonesia

• Indonesian Navy

During the visit of the Turkish president to Indonesia in February 2025, a contract to acquire 60 TB3s was signed. ^[31]

See also

• Aviation portal

• List of unmanned aerial vehicles
• Measurement and signature intelligence
• Bayraktar UAV

Related development

• Baykar Bayraktar Mini UAV
• Baykar Bayraktar TB1
• Baykar Bayraktar TB2
• Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı
• Bayraktar Kızılelma

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• TAI Anka
• TAI Aksungur
• General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper
• General Atomics Mojave
• BAE Systems Mantis
• IAI Eitan
• Vestel Karayel
• CAIG Wing Loong

Related lists

• List of active Turkish military aircraft

References

1. "Bayraktar TB3 SİHA, Cumhuriyet'in 100. Yılında gökyüzüyle buluştu".
2. "Bayraktar TB-3 SİHA'nın özellikleri paylaşıldı". Savunma Sanayi ST (in Turkish). 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
3. Axe, David. "Behold The Turkish Navy's Drone Aircraft Carrier". Forbes. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
4. "TB3'ün ilk ihraç edileceği ülke Endonezya – Tolga Özbek" (in Turkish). Retrieved 2025-02-12.
5. "BAYKAR'dan büyük anlaşma: Endonezya'dan Bayraktar TB3 ve AKINCI siparişi". gdh.digital (in Turkish). Retrieved 2025-02-12.
6. "Bayraktar TB3 to perform maiden flight in 2022". Global Defense Corp. 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
7. "Bayraktar TB3 ilk koşu testini başarıyla tamamladı". aa.com.tr. Anadolu Ajansı. 13 October 2023. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
8. "Bayraktar TB3'ten yeni başarı! Teker kesme testinden geçti". hurriyet.com.tr. Hürriyet. 20 October 2023. Archived from the original on 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
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10. "Bayraktar TB3'te bir ilk: İniş takımları kapandı". savunmasanayist.com (in Turkish). Savunma Sanayi ST. 11 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
11. Ozberk, Tayfun (2024-06-03). "Bayraktar TB3 UAV performs first flight test using ski-jump". Naval News. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
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18. "Amfibi Hücum Gemisi için tasarlanan Bayraktar TB3'ün özellikleri açıklandı". defenceturk.net. 23 September 2021. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021.
19. Eshel, Tamir (19 December 2015). "Turkish UMTAS Missile Dropped From a Bayraktar Tactical Drone | Defense Update". defense-update.com. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
20. Roblin, Sebastien (2 March 2020). "Turkish Drones and Artillery Are Devastating Assad's Forces In Idlib Province-Here's Why". Forbes. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
21. Frantzman, Seth J. (2 March 2020). "Turkish drones revolutionize Idlib conflict – analysis". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
22. "Roketsan's Smart Micro Guided Munitions Boost Effectiveness of UAVs". Asian Military Review. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
23. "Cırıt 2.75" Laser Guided Missile" (PDF). Roketsan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
24. Bekdil, Burak Ege (8 August 2017). "Turkey To Outfit Drones with Local Mini Rocket". Defense News.
25. "TURKISH DEFENCE INDUSTRY PRODUCT CATALOGUE". Ssb.gov.tr. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
26. Mehmet, Fatih (23 January 2020). "Asisguard ve Tübitak Sage TOGAN'ı SONGAR'a entegre etti". DefenceTurk (in Turkish). Retrieved 14 April 2021.
27. "Kuzgun Modular Joint Ammunition Developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE Displayed". RayHaber | RaillyNews. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
28. savunmatr. "KUZGUN'un turbojetli versiyonu 250 kilometreyi vuracak". Savunmatr.com/ (in Turkish). Retrieved 27 May 2021.
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