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Kuwait to buy Türkiye's Bayraktar TB2 drones in deal worth $367M

Kuwait is set to procure renowned Bayraktar TB2 drones as Turkish and Kuwaiti governments sign a contract through direct negotiations.

AA Archive

The contract includes weapons provisioning, electronic warfare, and mobile ground control facilities compatible with NATO standards. / Photo: AA Archive

Kuwait has reached an agreement worth $367 million with Turkish drone giant Baykar to purchase its increasingly sought-after TB2 combat drones, the Kuwaiti army said.

The announcement on Tuesday would set Kuwait to become the 28th country to procure the Bayraktar TB2 drones.

Kuwaiti Air Force operations chief brigadier, General Fahad Al Dosari, said in a video posted on their Twitter account that the drone fleet can support the navy and coast guard, as well as monitor maritime and land borders.

He said the drones can also "carry out reconnaissance and targeted missions" in addition to supporting search and rescue efforts.

Bayraktar TB2 boasts unmanned aerial vehicles that can carry lightweight, laser-guided bombs, and fly for up to 27 hours at a time, which, according to the company, was "a record," it had set while testing the drone in Kuwait in 2019.

Demand for the drones has surged due to their successful deployment in conflict zones such as Libya, Syria and Ukraine.

Türkiye's Baykar to deliver drones to Kuwait in $370 million deal

High demand

Baykar and the Kuwaiti government did not say how many drones were purchased or when they would be delivered. Both could not be immediately reached for comment.

The drones ‒ priced under $2 million each according to estimates ‒ are produced by Baykar Defense company.

The drone contract between Baykar and Kuwait struck through direct negotiations between the Turkish and Kuwaiti governments, also includes weapons provisioning, electronic warfare, and mobile ground control facilities compatible with NATO standards according to Kuwaiti state media.

The TB2 has been credited with helping tip the balance of conflicts in Libya, as well as to Türkiye’s ally Azerbaijan in fighting with Armenian-backed forces in the Karabakh region in 2020.

It has also enabled Ukraine to mount a stiff defence of its cities, carrying out attacks against Russian forces with effectiveness that surprised many Western military experts and triggered a rush among nations to procure the unmanned craft.