Following the news that ambassador Vasyl Bodnar has claimed that private Turkish defense company Baykar Defense is making moves to establish production in the west of Ukraine;

James Marques, Associate Aerospace, Defense and Security Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“It is noted that the proposed Turkish factory will produce wheels, engines, and other spare parts for Ukraine’s Bayraktar TB.2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have gained fame for their crucial role in countering Russia during the opening stages of its invasion.

“As a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV armed with laser-guided bombs or missiles, the TB.2’s effectiveness in Ukrainian hands has served as a boon for interest in Turkish defense products. This is in a UAV market that is already valued at $7.6 billion, and is expected to grow to $11.7 billion by 2032, with MALES cornering 61% of the market.

“According to reports, the agreement for the factory has been submitted to Ukraine’s parliament for approval. When Ukraine closed a deal worth $69 million to purchase Baykar’s TB.2 back in 2019, a memorandum of understanding was signed for similar arrangements. Kyiv and Ankara have long had deep defense-industrial ties, having signed a cooperation agreement just weeks before the invasion. That the conflict in Ukraine has not ended Ankara’s interest speaks to the tenacity of its approach to defense business and is a welcome boost to the fledgling Ukrainian industry that needs resources and innovation now more than ever.”