This is according to a report by Interfax-Ukraine, citing the Ambassador of Turkey to Ukraine Mr Yagmur Ahmet Guldere.
The two countries have conducted several rounds of negotiations on varied aspects of bilateral cooperation, from co-development of high-end unmanned aerial systems up to local production of Bayraktar UCAVs in Ukraine, provided that appropriate conditions are in place, Mr Ambassador told Interfax-Ukraine.
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“We had discussions on various topics, and this issue was also discussed by the two countries. Also under negotiation is collaborative development of more capable systems and even production of Bayraktar drones in Ukraine, provided there are appropriate conditions in place. I think that defense industry can become a new hallmark of the Turkey-Ukraine cooperation, including this specific area," the Turkish Ambassador said.
UDR note: Bayraktar drones are in production at the Turkish company Baykar Makina. The Bayraktar family of UAVs includes Mini Bayraktar, Bayraktar VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing), and (the best selling of them all) Bayraktar TB2. Ukraine purchased a shipment of Bayraktar TB2 drone systems under a contract signed by the then President Petro Poroshenko during his Turkish visit in November 2018. This was followed by the $70 million contract struck in January 2019 to purchase 6 Bayraktar UCAV systems in a package with three Ground Control Stations. The drones arrived and were flight tested in the Ukrainian skies in March 2019. In the following months till May 2020, the UAVs flew a series of operator training missions.
In July 2020, the Turkish Anadolu Agency cited Ukraine’s Defense Minister, Andriy Taran as telling his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar that Ukraine is looking to purchase another shipment of UAV systems (presumably Bayraktar TB2) from Turkey.
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