Baykar plant construction in Ukraine: first Bayraktars should come off the assembly line in two years

By: Elena Shcherban | 14.01.2023, 11:25

Some time ago, the Turkish company Baykar and the Ukrainian government announced the construction of a factory for the production of Bayraktar drones in Ukraine. At what stage the project is now - the Ambassador of Ukraine in Turkey, Vasily Bodnar, said in an interview to Ukrinform.

Here's What We Know

According to the ambassador, the work is not frozen now and the plant will definitely be built: "About a month ago the ratification of the agreement on creation of this plant by the Supreme Council of Ukraine was completed, this agreement must still be ratified by the Turkish side, then the ratification documents must be exchanged for the agreement to enter into force. This is the formal side of the case".

At the same time the company Baykar has already established a company, bought the land, preparing communications, made the project and the plant, and the center for research and training. As previously reported, the total area of the plant will exceed 30,000 square meters, and the number of Ukrainian engineers and technicians will be more than 300 people.

"Unfortunately, the war has made adjustments to the original plans for the plant. So far, the pace planned for preparing project documentation, obtaining licenses, and ratifying the deal has been maintained even with the ongoing hostilities. It is clear that this is a defense-industrial facility; there is a threat that it could be hit by a missile attack. And this was said by the aggressor country. According to preliminary calculations, the plant should be built by two years and the first drones should roll off the assembly line," said Vasily Bodnar.

The plant will assemble not only the Bayraktar TB2, but also the Akıncı heavy unmanned aerial vehicle, the Kızılelma fighter, as well as other Company vehicles. Akıncı UAV will have Ukrainian AI-500 and AI-450 engines, depending on the choice of the customer, and Kızılelma will be equipped with Ukrainian AI-25 engines.

Source: Ukrinform

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