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Baykar Drones to Integrate EDGE’s Guided Munitions and Advanced Payloads.
At the SAHA Expo 2024, EDGE, an advanced technology and defense group based in the United Arab Emirates, and Baykar, a Turkish leader in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and artificial intelligence, signed a cooperation agreement to integrate EDGE’s advanced solutions into Baykar’s drone platforms. Formalized by EDGE’s Managing Director and CEO, Hamad Al Marar, and Baykar’s CEO, Haluk Bayraktar, this agreement represents a significant step towards enhancing collaboration between the two companies and expanding their international market reach.
In January 2024, EDGE and Baykar had already initiated an integration program with the deployment of EDGE’s Desert Sting DS-16 precision-guided munition on Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 drone (Picture source: Baykar/ EDGE)
In January 2024, EDGE and Baykar had already initiated an integration program with the deployment of EDGE’s Desert Sting DS-16 precision-guided munition on Baykar’s Bayraktar TB2 drone. This new agreement builds on that effort, setting a framework for integrating EDGE’s guided munitions and advanced payloads into Baykar’s drone platforms. Baykar will lead the technical integration efforts, while EDGE will provide specialized support in design, manufacturing, and equipment to ensure successful implementation. This initiative aims to meet market demands effectively, while ensuring supply chain security and delivering high-performance solutions to clients. Furthermore, the partnership seeks to bolster the security and resilience of supply chains in the defense sector, supporting the technological independence and stability of both partner nations.
The Bayraktar TB2, a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) tactical drone, has been in service since 2014 with the Turkish Armed Forces and other countries. Capable of autonomous taxiing, takeoff, and landing, it can fly for up to 27 hours, with an operational altitude of 16,000 feet and a service ceiling of 22,000 feet. Equipped with real-time image transmission systems, it supports precise mission tracking by multiple users. Its internal navigation system and compatibility with intelligent munitions, such as the laser-guided Roketsan MAM-L and MAM-C, make it a valuable platform for precision strikes with minimized collateral damage.
EDGE’s Desert Sting DS-16 is a lightweight, precision-guided munition designed for air platforms, featuring a GNSS-assisted inertial navigation system (GAINS) and a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker for increased accuracy. Weighing 23 kg with a 12 kg warhead, the DS-16 offers a precision range of 3 meters with GAINS and SAL, and 10 meters with GAINS alone, with a maximum range of 15 km when launched from 30,000 feet at 220 KCAS. This flexibility makes it well-suited for tactical drones like the Bayraktar TB2, allowing for precise strikes while reducing collateral impact.
For drones like the Bayraktar, EDGE’s laser- or infrared-guided munitions, such as those in the AL TARIQ line, further enhance capabilities, allowing for precise engagements against both fixed and mobile targets (Picture source: EDGE)
EDGE also offers additional guidance technologies, including GNSS navigation and hybrid systems combining GNSS with infrared (IIR) or SAL guidance, providing operational flexibility essential for aerial strikes in varied weather or under adversary countermeasures. For drones like the Bayraktar, EDGE’s laser- or infrared-guided munitions, such as those in the AL TARIQ line, further enhance capabilities, allowing for precise engagements against both fixed and mobile targets.
Hamad Al Marar, EDGE’s CEO, highlighted that the agreement represents a strategic step in reinforcing an established collaboration, enabling both companies to respond swiftly to market shifts while enhancing customer offerings. He noted the importance of collaborating with Turkey’s robust defense industry.
Haluk Bayraktar expressed satisfaction with this agreement, which strengthens cooperation between EDGE and Baykar, enhancing both companies’ commitment to delivering agile, high-tech solutions while safeguarding their supply chains. He also acknowledged the expanding defense relationship between the UAE and Turkey, with the UAE now Turkey’s largest trading partner in the Middle East, and concluded by noting the positive impact of this partnership on the independence and security of both nations.