Kuwait has concluded a contract worth $367 million with Turkish defence firm Baykar to buy its TB2 drones through direct negotiations between the two governments, the Kuwaiti army said in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement did not reveal how many drones would be delivered to Kuwait or when. According to the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry, the deal, which is worth $367 million, will “enhance the defense capabilities of the Kuwaiti army.”
It added that besides providing necessary maintenance and logistical supplies, the contract includes
“preparing special facilities to those aircraft, including arming, electronic warfare equipment, and mobile ground control stations that are compatible with NATO standards.”
The ministry said the drones were tested in Kuwait in July 2019, noting that they flew without pause for 27 hours and 3 minutes “amid difficult climatic conditions…indicating that this is a record.”
International demand for Baykar’s TB2 drones soared after they featured in conflicts in Syria, Libya and Azerbaijan and interest in them increased further following their use by Ukraine’s military to thwart Russian forces.
The State of Kuwait would be the 28th country in the world to conclude a contract for the Bayraktar TB2 drones.
Photo: Bayraktar TB2 drone stands near the logo of Baykar Turkish defence company inside a hall of 30th international Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, Poland September 5, 2022. – REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Sources: Reuters; Andalou Agency