Drone manufacturer Bayraktar invests $100 million in Ukraine
The Turkish company Baykar, which produces combat drones Bayraktar TB2, is investing 100 million dollars in three projects in Ukraine.
As reported by Censor.NET with reference to Ukrinform, this was stated by Baykar CEO Halyuk Bayraktar at the Defense Industries Forum in Kyiv.
"We have three main investments in Ukraine. One of them is a factory. Then we have a service center, as well as the head office here... This is an investment that is about 100 million dollars, and the process has already started. The construction has already started. At the end of it it will take about 1.5 years. We plan to employ at least 300 people here. Cooperation is ongoing," Bayraktar said.
He also emphasized that this production will be self-sufficient, ecological and mutually beneficial, since Ukraine has unique technologies for the production of engines, and the Turkish side has drones on which these engines are installed.
"We also face some challenges. These are the supply chain, finding and developing human capital due to the impact of the war and the regulatory environment, especially the rules that will support these investments," the head of the Turkish company noted.
According to him, the current war has become a war of unmanned aerial vehicles, and Ukraine has some advantage in it, in particular due to the use of various types of aircraft, although it is difficult to implement. Feedback from the military in the use of technology is especially important under such conditions. That is why the "bairaktars" used in Ukraine were equipped with a number of unique systems.
In addition, the CEO of Baykar emphasized the support of Ukraine.
"We are not here to maximize our income or profits. We are here to support you as much as possible. We respect your struggle for freedom and independence, for preserving your sovereignty," Bayraktar said.
He emphasized that all donations from the Baykar company, as well as from Ukraine and Poland, were used, in particular, for the purchase of radar systems, which have already detected thousands of targets and brought significant results on the battlefield.
"The total volume of these donations is 106 million dollars," Bayraktar noted.
He added that the Baykar company also implemented a number of humanitarian initiatives, including sending humanitarian cargo and organizing a camp for Ukrainian children.
