Baykar Signed the Largest Deal With Saudi Arabia in the History of the Turkish Defence Industry
Baykar has signed an agreement that marks the largest deal with Saudi Arabia in the history of the Turkish defence industry. The contract was signed against the backdrop of Turkey’s ongoing financial crisis, with the country’s national currency falling and inflation soaring.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan embarked on a tour of Gulf countries last week. The Turkish leader’s first stop was Jeddah, where he attended the signing of a contract between Baykar and the Saudi Ministry of Defence together with Mohammed bin Salman.
The agreement involves the production and delivery of Akinci attack drones. Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar declined to disclose the total value of the contract and the number of drones, citing customer preference. He only noted that this is the largest deal that Turkish defence companies have ever signed with Saudi Arabia.
The Gulf country has become the third confirmed operator of Bayraktar drones in the region after Qatar and Kuwait. The latter recently announced the signing of a $367 million contract to buy Bayraktar TB2s. The quantity has also not been specified.
