One more EU country set to buy scores of Bayraktar TB2 drones
Romania has expressed interest in buying 18 of the famed Turkish fighter drones known as Bayraktar TB2s, local reports said on Thursday.
- World
- Published Date: 06:35 | 01 September 2022
- Modified Date: 07:24 | 01 September 2022
The Romanian Defense Ministry reportedly requested parliamentary approval for the purchase of 18 of the drones.
A petition submitted by the ministry said that with the help of the drones, the country hopes to implement capability targets given to Romania in the NATO defense planning process, and that the program will help achieve goals for the transformation of the Romanian army by 2040.
Talks on the €300 million ($299.6 million) purchase will begin between the two countries following the approval process.
The Turkish-made drones have gained fame in the war in the current war in Ukraine and the fall 2020 battle over Karabakh, helping Azerbaijan triumph, and have attracted interested buyers fall and wide, including fellow NATO member Poland.
People in several countries started fundraising campaigns to buy more of the useful drones for Ukrainians fighting off the Russian war.
Bayraktar Kızılelma, the unmanned combat aircraft designed and developed by Baykar Technologies, is being displayed at TEKNOFEST Karadeniz event.
Selçuk Bayraktar, the chairman of T3 Foundation, told the opening ceremony that stronger countries often oppress the weak, adding that his objective is to bring justice and peace to the world for which developing advanced technology is a must.
"The pain of Bosnia, Karabakh and Palestine, where the entire West turned its back, is still fresh in our hearts," he said.
Bayraktar also spoke of the destruction of Iraq and Afghanistan in order to "bring democracy."
"In our northern neighbor Ukraine, women and children continue to be murdered in front of the whole world," he added.