Baykar Defense to establish production center in Samsun
In a significant move for Turkey's defense industry, Baykar, a leading global player in the UAV market, has announced a new production hub in Samsun. This strategic investment will bring advanced technological manufacturing capabilities to the city, marking Baykar's first production base in Anatolia.
The 400-acre production facility, located in Samsun's Tekkeköy district, is expected to provide qualified employment opportunities in the region. The choice of Samsun as the location for this hub is symbolically significant, as it was the city where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey's founding leader, arrived in May 1919 to initiate the country's independence movement.
Baykar's expansion in Samsun signifies a strategic geographic diversification and regional development within Turkey. The new hub will enhance Turkey's capacity to produce advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and aerospace technologies, contributing to the Black Sea region becoming a key global defense and aerospace hub.
As the world's largest UAV manufacturer, Baykar single-handedly delivered one-quarter of Turkey's defense and aerospace sector's total exports in 2024. The company has signed export agreements with 36 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and 15 for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, maintaining its international success in the global UAV export market.
The emergence of Samsun as a focal point for the defense and aerospace industries is expected to strengthen Turkey's role in the global supply chain of advanced defense technologies. This development is likely to elevate Turkey's reputation as a major defense exporter, given that Baykar's products, such as the Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar Akıncı drones, have been used internationally in key conflicts.
In 2023, Baykar accounted for one-third of Turkey's sector's exports in the global armed drone market, generating $1.8 billion in exports, with 90 percent of its revenue derived from international sales. This new production hub in Samsun is set to further solidify Turkey's strategic position in the global defense sector by increasing production capacity of world-leading drones, supporting regional economic growth, and enhancing technological innovation in a historically symbolic city.
In conclusion, Baykar's Samsun production hub is a significant step forward for Turkey's defense industry. It not only boosts the country's capacity to produce advanced UAVs and aerospace technologies but also strengthens Turkey's role in the global defense sector and contributes to the Black Sea region's emergence as a key global defense and aerospace hub.
The new Baykar production hub in Samsun will utilize advanced technology for manufacturing UAVs and aerospace technologies, boosting Turkey's capacity in these fields. This strategic investment in technology will position Samsun as a key player in the global defense and aerospace industry.
