Technical director and co-owner of Baykar, Selcuk Bayraktar, shared photos of the aircraft, which has folding wings that enable it to be deployed on ships. The drone weighs 1,450 kilograms and has a useful load of 280 kilograms. Its maximum flight time is more than 50 hours, and it is powered by a PD170 turbodiesel engine with a maximum output of 170 horsepower, according to the developer TUSAS Engine Industries. The engines of this family can operate on JP-8 or Jet-A1 aviation fuel and has a service ceiling of 45,000 feet (13,716 meters).
Bugün paylaştığımız fotoğraflarda üretim hattında görünen, kanatlarını katlayabilme özelliğine sahip türünün ilk örneği olan "balığın" Ramazan öncesi çekilmiş görselleri..#BayraktarTB3
— Selçuk Bayraktar (@Selcuk) March 27, 2023
Büyük abisi #KIZILELMA'dan sonra ilk uçuşuna gün sayıyor..
Hayırlı Sahurlar... pic.twitter.com/OJEMBMophw
The new drone is visually similar to the combat-tested Bayraktar TB2, but features larger dimensions and folding wings for ship deployment. The Bayraktar TB3 will be deployed in groups of 30 to 40 units on the new Turkish amphibious assault ship, Anadolu, which has a flight deck for takeoff and landing. The drone is designed to land on the ship's flight deck without the need for a special braking hook, thanks to its technical specifications.
Bayraktar TB3
The Bayraktar TB3's maiden flight was postponed in 2022 but is expected to take place soon.
