BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 23. Bayraktar TB3 successfully completes four fully autonomous sorties aboard TCG Anadolu, TurkicWorld reports.
Bayraktar TB3, the first UCAV in aviation history capable of taking off and landing on a short-runway vessel, has successfully completed four autonomous sorties from the TCG Anadolu during tests conducted in the Gulf of Saros on April 22, 2025.
During the "Fully Autonomous Takeoff and Landing Tests from Short-Runway Vessel," Bayraktar TB3 carried out four takeoffs and landings without the assistance of any landing equipment. The final sortie was completed at sunset. These operations were made possible by advanced AI algorithms developed by Baykar, ensuring precise maneuvering and navigation throughout the flight.
Bayraktar TB3 has now logged a total flight time of 1,016 hours and 42 minutes. In a long-endurance test flight on December 20, 2023, the indigenous UCAV remained airborne for 32 hours and covered 5,700 kilometers.
Bayraktar TB3 made history on November 19, 2024, by conducting its first successful flight from the TCG Anadolu. Further successful sorties followed on November 26, 2024. The UCAV demonstrated combat capabilities by striking naval targets using UAV-122 supersonic missiles in tests on March 25 and 27, 2025.
Additionally, the TB3 reached 36,310 feet during a high-altitude performance test on June 25, 2024, powered by the domestically developed PD-170 engine. On March 26, 2024, it also successfully integrated the ASELFLIR-500 optical system, further solidifying its indigenous engineering credentials.
With its foldable wings and long-range communication capabilities, Bayraktar TB3 is poised to act as a force multiplier in overseas operations.
Baykar, the manufacturer of TB3, remains the world’s largest exporter of UCAVs, having generated 83% of its revenues from exports and signing agreements with 36 countries. In 2023 and 2024 alone, Baykar achieved $1.8 billion in export sales each year.
