Baykar Begins Bayraktar Drone Production in Azerbaijan

The strategic alliance between Turkey and Azerbaijan is entering a new, technological phase. A subsidiary of the Turkish military-industrial giant "Baykar Makina," "Bayraktar Teknoloji Azərbaycan" LLC, has officially started the production of unmanned aerial vehicles in Azerbaijan, at the Sumgait industrial park.

This event is presented not only as an economic project but also as a crucial strategic step which, according to the Azerbaijani side, is aimed at several key objectives. First, the localization of UAV production on its own territory is seen as a way to strengthen Azerbaijan's "technological independence." This means that Baku aims to replace its dependence on direct arms imports with local production, thereby ensuring a more stable and controllable supply chain for its armed forces.

Second, this project is characterized as a step that elevates the strategic cooperation with "brotherly Turkey" to a new level. This indicates that the relations between the two countries are transitioning from the level of arms sales to a phase of technology transfer and joint military-industrial production. In effect, Turkey is deploying its military technologies in Azerbaijan, thereby deepening the military integration of the two states.

It is noteworthy that the first unmanned aerial vehicles produced will be intended exclusively for the domestic market, that is, for the needs of the Azerbaijani army. This directly means that the immediate and primary goal of the project is to further enhance the capabilities of the Azerbaijani armed forces. Local production will allow for a faster and larger replenishment of the army's arsenal with modern strike and reconnaissance UAVs, as well as simplify the process of their maintenance and modernization.