Bayraktar TB3, the world’s first UCAV capable of fully autonomous takeoff and landing from a short-runway vessel, has marked a major milestone by completing 100 successful sorties during ongoing test operations on the TCG Anadolu. The most recent trials included evaluations of its vision-based, AI-assisted fully automatic takeoff and landing systems.

MUĞLA / AKSAZ
2 JUNE 2025

Developed indigenously and originally by Baykar, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV has reached another major milestone in its test operations aboard the TCG Anadolu. As the first UCAV in aviation history capable of fully autonomous takeoff and landing from a short-runway vessel, Bayraktar TB3 successfully completed a total of 100 shipborne sorties during the tests conducted on TCG Anadolu.

AI-ASSISTED FULLY AUTOMATIC TAKEOFF AND LANDING
In the latest round of tests conducted aboard the TCG Anadolu between May 28 and June 2, Bayraktar TB3’s vision-based, AI-assisted fully automatic takeoff and landing capability was tested. As part of the trials, critical features such as visual line tracking, aircraft carrier detection, runway identification, and landing angle estimation through ground view were successfully demonstrated. Upon completing the trials at sea, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAVs with tail numbers PT-3 and PT-4 flew back from the waters off Muğla’s Aksaz district to Baykar’s Flight Training and Test Center in Keşan.

TOTAL FLIGHT TIME REACHES 1,167 HOURS
With its sortie count on the TCG Anadolu now at 101, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV has logged a total of 1,167 hours and 8 minutes of flight time across all test missions to date. The total number of sorties conducted as part of the indigenous UCAV’s test program has reached 709. In a long-endurance flight test conducted on December 20, 2023, the UCAV flew non-stop for 32 hours, covering a distance of 5,700 kilometers.

DUAL SALVO STRIKES DURING SEAWOLF
On May 14, 2025, during the Distinguished Observer Day of the SEAWOLF-2025 Exercise, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV showcased a key capability to the world. Launching consecutively from the TCG Anadolu in the Mediterranean, the PT-3 and PT-4 tail-numbered Bayraktar TB3s successfully executed dual salvo strikes on land targets using MAM-L munitions developed by Roketsan. Prior to the exercise, the indigenous UCAV underwent an intensive phase of testing and preparation aboard the ship, conducting successful sorties over the Gulf of Saros between April 22 and 25. On May 11, it also carried out successful live-fire tests using MAM-L munitions integrated with the ASELFLIR-500 and Aselsan CATS electro-optical systems.

DIRECT HIT WITH SUPERSONIC MISSILE
Bayraktar TB3 made aviation history on November 19, 2024, by successfully carrying out its first flight from the TCG Anadolu off the coast of Muğla Aksaz. This milestone was crowned with direct-hit strikes against naval targets using the Roketsan-made UAV-122 supersonic missile on March 25 and 27, 2025. In this critical live-fire test, the airborne Bayraktar TB2 UCAV conducted the laser designation, successfully demonstrating the coordinated target marking and engagement capabilities of two different UCAVs operating simultaneously. In addition to the UAV-122, Bayraktar TB3 has also carried out successful strikes with the domestically developed MAM-T and MAM-L munitions. Powered by the PD-170 engine developed by TEI, the indigenous UCAV reached an altitude of 36,310 feet on June 25, 2024 — marking yet another major achievement.

OVERSEAS FORCE MULTIPLIER
With its folding-wing design and advanced capabilities, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV is set to become the leading unmanned aerial vehicle in its class once inducted into service. Equipped with beyond-line-of-sight communication capabilities, the indigenous UCAV will be remotely operated from very long distances. This will enable it to carry out reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence, and strike missions against overseas targets using its smart munitions—serving as a force multiplier for Türkiye’s deterrent power.

EXPORT CHAMPION
Baykar, which has funded all of its projects using its own resources since day one, has earned 83% of its total revenues from exports since it began its UAV R&D efforts in 2003. In 2023, Baykar achieved $1.8 billion in exports, placing it among the top 10 exporting companies across all sectors in Türkiye. As the world’s largest exporter in the unmanned aerial vehicle market, Baykar continued its global success in 2024, generating 90% of its income from exports and once again reaching $1.8 billion in export volume.

BAYKAR: THE WORLD’S LARGEST UAV COMPANY
Winner of the Export Champions Award, Baykar was the defense and aerospace sector’s top exporter in 2021, 2022, and 2023 according to data from the Defense Industry Agency (SSB) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM). Having accounted for one-third of the sector’s total exports the previous year, Baykar continued to lead in 2024 by generating one-quarter of all defense and aerospace exports alone—solidifying Türkiye’s position as the global leader in UCAV exports. As the world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, Baykar has signed export agreements with a total of 36 countries—35 for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and 15 for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV.