Türkiye has added new domestically produced defense systems to its military inventory, including the Bayraktar TB3 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), the İLTER J-350 jamming system and another T-70 general purpose helicopter, officials said on Wednesday.
The Turkish Land Forces Command formally received the TB3 and İLTER J-350 following inspection and acceptance procedures, while the Air Force Command took delivery of the fourth T-70 helicopter.
Rear Admiral Aktürk, speaking at a weekly press briefing at the Army Education and Doctrine Command (EDOK), said the additions marked a milestone in strengthening Türkiye’s armed forces. “The modern and powerful defense capabilities of our Türkiye’s Armed Forces are growing stronger every day with domestic and national defense industry products,” he said.
Developed by Baykar, the Bayraktar TB3 is an upgraded version of the widely used TB2. It is equipped with a foldable wing structure, a TEI-PD170 engine, and systems enabling takeoff and landing from ship decks. The aircraft has completed more than 170 test flights and offers greater payload capacity, longer range and higher altitude performance. It became the world’s first UAV to successfully take off and land on a short-deck vessel, such as Turkey’s flagship amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu. The platform is expected to be added to the navy’s inventory in the coming months.
The T-70 helicopter, based on Sikorsky’s S-70i model, is produced under license in Türkiye with contributions from ASELSAN, TEI and Alp Aviation. Deliveries will continue over the next decade, covering six different users across the armed forces.
The İLTER J-350 counter-drone system was developed by Boğaziçi Savunma Teknolojileri A.Ş. and provides electronic warfare capabilities against unmanned aerial threats. Operating across the 400 MHz to 8000 MHz frequency range, it can detect micro and mini UAVs at 5–10 km and larger UAVs at 15–20 km. The system can track up to 30 drones simultaneously, provides 360-degree coverage with effective jamming up to 5 km, and uses GNSS spoofing to mislead hostile UAVs. An integrated command-and-control interface allows for user-friendly operation.
Officials said the İLTER J-350 significantly strengthens Türkiye’s defense against drone-based threats.
