Baykar Bayraktar TB3. 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."

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.

Development Timeline 

 27 March 2023: First prototype of the TB3 has been made public.
 13 October 2023: Successful completion of TB3's first test run.
 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.
 27 October 2023: Maiden flight took place, just two days before the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Turkey.
 11 November 2023: The aircraft flew with its landing gear retracted for the first time.
 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.
 19 November 2024: The TB3 drone successfully took off from and landed on the deck of the Turkish amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu. 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.

Specifications (Bayraktar TB3) 

Data from official Baykar infographic.

General characteristics 

 Crew: 0 onboard
 Length: 
 Height: 
 Wing span: 
 Max take-off weight: 
 Payload capacity: 
 Powerplant: 1 × TEI-PD170

Performance 

 Maximum speed: 
 Cruise speed: 
 Communication range: line-of-sight propagation
 Operational range:

Armaments
Hardpoints: 6 hardpoints for laser-guided smart munition, with provisions to carry combinations of :
 L-UMTAS (Long Range Anti tank Missile System)
 MAM: MAM-C, MAM-L and MAM-T precision-guided munitions
 Roketsan Cirit (70 mm Missile System)
 TUBITAK-SAGE BOZOK Laser Guided Rockets
TUBITAK-SAGE TOGAN Air-to-surface launched 81 mm mortar munition
TUBITAK-SAGE KUZGUN Modular joint ammunition KUZGUN-TjM  Turbojet engine variant with range of 245 kilometers and KUZGUN-SS  Free Soaring variant range of 110 kilometers variants in use

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)

See also

References

2020s Turkish military aircraft
Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles
TB3
Low-wing aircraft
V-tail aircraft
Single-engined pusher aircraft
Twin-boom aircraft