The Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci, two of Baykar’s flagship UAVs, are well-known in the international defense industry for their operational efficacy and technological ingenuity.
The acquisition of lethal drones from Turkey will cost Croatia 86 million euros ($91 million), days after a legislative committee approved the purchase of rocket launchers manufactured in the United States.
The government announced Thursday that it had committed to buying the armed unmanned aircraft system Bayraktar TB2 by 2026.
It said that the agreement will allow Croatia’s army “to successfully respond to contemporary threats” and that it contains six drones in addition to other equipment and expert training.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other cutting-edge defense technology are the focus of the well-known Turkish defense corporation Baykar.
The Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci, two of Baykar’s flagship UAVs, are well-known in the international defense industry for their operational efficacy and technological ingenuity.
“New era in artillery missile units”
The parliamentary defense committee approved the almost $290 million purchase of eight HIMARS missile systems from the United States on Tuesday.
It will usher in a “new era in artillery missile units” in the nation, according to army chief of staff Tihomir Kundid.
In addition, the government began preparing to buy up to 50 Leopard tanks from Germany on Thursday. As part of the deal, some of Germany’s older tanks and other military hardware would be sent to Ukraine.
Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius signed the letter of intent in late October, requesting that Zagreb deliver 30 tanks, 30 combat vehicles, ammunition, and equipment to Ukraine. The value of these deliveries will be subtracted from the total cost of the new Leopards 2A8s.
Croatia, a member of NATO and the European Union, received the first six of the 12 Rafale fighter jets it had ordered from France in April.
