Uzbekistan Revealed To Be The Latest Known Operator of Bayraktar TB2 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
On November 16, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid a visit to a military facility in Surxondaryo, located in the country’s southeast, where unmanned aerial vehicles are stationed. During the visit, four Bayraktar TB2s were spotted at the military installation, each outfitted with an Aselsan CATS electro-optical system and Roketsan MAM-L munitions. Consequently, it was revealed for the first time that Uzbekistan was an operator of the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicle.
In 2022, the news reported that Uzbekistan was in talks with Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar regarding the purchase of Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles. However, no further developments on this story have emerged since then. As a result, the specifics of the contract signed between Uzbekistan and Baykar are currently unknown.
Aside from the Bayraktar TB2, images released by the Presidency of Uzbekistan showed Chinese-made Wing Loong 1, US-made RQ-20B Puma 3 AE, and Russian-made Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicles. Lochin VTOL unmanned aerial vehicles developed by the Uzbekistan Defense Industry State Committee’s research and production center were also displayed at the military base.
According to the Presidency of Uzbekistan:
“Large-scale reforms carried out in our country’s defense sector are an important factor in increasing the combat effectiveness of our troops and developing the activities of the military administrative sector. All conditions were put in place in the visited military unit in order to improve the soldiers’ combat readiness. Educational facilities, training rooms, and gymnasiums are outfitted with the most modern technologies and equipment. The President examined the condition of the military unit, equipment, and weapons used in border protection. The importance of the use of unmanned aerial vehicles was emphasized, and issues related to their production were discussed. The President was informed of efforts to increase the Armed Forces’ potential, strengthen the material and technical infrastructure, prepare personnel, modern weapon systems, and command and maintenance of unmanned aerial vehicles.”
So far, Baykar has exported Bayraktar TB2 to 33 countries, including NATO ally Poland. While 19 of these countries have publicly stated that they have purchased TB2s, the names of the remaining 14 are unknown. Potential buyers include Iraq, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, El Salvador, Serbia, Slovakia, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Baykar may have made an unspecified number of exports to some of these countries as well.