Western countries have deprived Turkey of access to engines for military equipment, in particular, for the Bayraktar TB2 strike-reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), writes Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), in the Independent Military Review. These UAVs are considered the “killers” of the Russian-made “Pantsir” anti-aircraft missile-gun systems (ZRPK).
“In connection with the use of Bayraktar TB2 UAVs in the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products, which owns the Austrian Rotax, announced the termination of the supply of these engines to Turkey for installation on unmanned aerial vehicles,” the author notes.
The expert also added that the Turkish company Tusas Engine Industries (TEI) has been developing its own power units for a long time. In particular, work is underway on the PD-170 piston engine. “But this motor is still in the experimental stage – although it was installed on the first prototype of the heavy Turkish twin-engine UAV TAI Aksungur,” said the head of the CAST.
The author concludes that “not a single aircraft engine created in Turkey (including the simplest piston PD-170) has been brought to serial production.”
In August, the first flight was made by the second prototype of the Turkish attack drone Akinci, equipped with two AI-450T turboshaft engines developed by the Ukrainian company Ivchenko-Progress.
In July, the information and consulting agency published a video of the first test by the Armed Forces of Ukraine of the Bayraktar TV2 strike and reconnaissance drone.
In the same month, Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Yagmur Ahmet Guldere said the countries were discussing joint development and production of Bayraktar TB2.
