TSAMTO, March 13. After demanding the Indian authorities to withdraw troops from their territory, the Government of the Maldives announced the acquisition of the Bayraktar TB2 UAV in Turkey to monitor the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which covers an area of 900 thousand square kilometers.
As reported by Airrecognition.com, the contract for the supply of UAVs was signed with the Turkish company Baykar Technology on March 3. Bayraktar TB2 will be operated at Maafaru International Airport on Nuno Atoll.
According to Turkish media, the agreement providing for the supply of six UAVs and a ground control point was concluded following the visit of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzou to Turkey in November 2023.
In addition to buying UAVs in Turkey, following the recent visit of the new president to Beijing, the Government of Maldives has expressed its intention to purchase UAVs for similar purposes in China.
Maldives' acquisition of the Bayraktar TB2 UAV in Turkey may face a negative reaction from India, given the strained relations between New Delhi and Ankara. Earlier, India deployed personnel to the Maldives to operate and maintain ALH Dhruv helicopters and Dornier 228 aircraft designed to conduct search and rescue operations, medical evacuation and emergency response on the islands. The Indian authorities also periodically provided military assistance to the Maldives. The new president of the island country, Mohamed Muizzou, who took office in November 2023, is considered a supporter of rapprochement with China and immediately announced the need for the withdrawal of Indian troops.
New Delhi is making efforts to maintain its influence in the strategically important Maldives region, despite the fact that China is increasingly providing economic assistance to the island state and approving investments in the country's economy.
Due to the withdrawal of Indian troops from the Maldives, the Indian Armed Forces have already strengthened their naval base "Jatayu" on the island of Minicoy (Lakshadweep Islands). The base houses warships, radars and launchers of the Brahmos missile defense system.
As reported by TSAMTO, the Bayraktar TB2 UAV is designed for reconnaissance, as well as hitting ground targets using guided munitions. The wingspan of the device is 12 m, the length is 6.5 m. The UAV with a maximum take–off weight of 700 kg can carry high-precision ammunition MAM-L and MAM-C on four underwing suspension nodes. The flight duration of the UAV is up to 27 hours, the payload weight is up to 150 kg, the maximum speed is up to 220 km / h, the range in the line of sight is up to 150 km.
The demand for Turkish UAVs has increased after their use in Syria, Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh and Ukraine. To date, Baykar has signed contracts for the supply of Bayraktar TB2 UAVs to 33 countries around the world, including 4 NATO countries and two EU countries. More than 500 UAVs have been delivered to customers.
The purchase of Bayraktar TB2 by poor countries for reconnaissance and use against partisan formations is understandable, however, as the fighting in Ukraine has shown, in the presence of an effective air defense system, Bayraktar TB2 UAVs, which represent a large low-speed target, are quickly destroyed.