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Bayraktar TB3 Surpasses 100 Sorties with AI-Driven Flight from TCG Anadolu

Bayraktar TB3 UCAV

Türkiye’s next-generation naval unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), the Bayraktar TB3, has passed a critical milestone by completing over 100 fully autonomous sorties from the TCG Anadolu, the country’s flagship short-runway carrier. This development marks a historic achievement in global aviation, making the TB3 the first UCAV capable of ship-based autonomous take-off and landing.

AI-Supported Testing from Ship Deck

In a statement released Tuesday, Baykar, the Turkish defense firm behind the drone, announced that the TB3 conducted successful test flights between May 28 and June 2, showcasing its AI-powered capabilities.

Key systems tested during this phase included:

  • Visual line tracking

  • Aircraft carrier detection

  • Runway recognition

  • Landing angle estimation using ground vision

These features are enabled by image-based artificial intelligence, making the TB3 a pioneering UCAV in shipborne autonomous operations.

Over 1,100 Hours in the Sky – and Counting

With the latest round of tests, Bayraktar TB3 has completed 101 sorties from the TCG Anadolu, bringing its total airborne time during these naval operations to 1,167 hours and 8 minutes.

Across its general test campaign, the TB3 has now conducted 709 total sorties. Notably, in a long-endurance mission on December 20, 2023, the drone flew uninterrupted for 32 hours, covering 5,700 km (3,542 miles).

Precision Strike with Supersonic Missile

The Bayraktar TB3 first took off from the TCG Anadolu on November 19, 2024. In a major follow-up milestone, it successfully fired a Roketsan-made UAV-122 supersonic missile at naval targets during testing between March 25–27, 2025.

In this test, targeting coordination was handled by the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV, which designated targets with a laser, proving multi-platform synchronization and strike accuracy.

High-Altitude Flight and National Engine Power

The TB3 has also achieved significant technical milestones:

  • Reached 36,310 feet (11,067 meters) in altitude on June 25, 2024

  • Powered by Türkiye’s locally developed PD-170 engine, built by TEI

  • Successfully deployed indigenous smart munitions such as MAM-T, MAM-L, and UAV-122

Designed for Naval Dominance

The Bayraktar TB3 is engineered for operations on short-runway vessels like the TCG Anadolu and features:

  • Folding wings for compact storage

  • Beyond-line-of-sight communication capabilities

  • Suitability for long-range attack, reconnaissance, and intelligence missions

With these features, it will significantly enhance Türkiye’s overseas deterrence capacity.

Baykar: A Global Leader in Drone Exports

Baykar, the developer of TB3, has emerged as the world’s largest exporter of armed drones, according to Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM):

  • $1.8 billion in exports in both 2023 and 2024

  • Generated 90% of its revenue from exports in 2024

  • Accounted for one-third of Türkiye’s defense exports in 2023 and one-fourth in 2024

The company has signed UCAV export agreements with:

  • 35 countries for the Bayraktar TB2

  • 15 countries for the Bayraktar Akıncı

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