Turkmenistan to advance defence ties with Türkiye

The chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan held talks with the heads of Turkish defence firms Baykar and BMC on expanding cooperation between the two countries in the field of defence.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received on Tuesday Haluk Bayraktar, the general manager of Baykar, and Fuat Tosyali, the chairman of the board of directors of BMC, according to Turkmenistan's Golden Century television channel.

Noting that the meeting will contribute to deepening cooperation between the two countries, Berdimuhamedov said the strengthening of strategic and long-term relations with Türkiye is one of the main aspects of Turkmenistan's foreign policy strategy.

During the meeting, the possibility of further developing cooperation in the field of defence was discussed and the proposals of the Turkish companies, which are among the world’s leading defense firms, were evaluated.

Shipments of high-quality products produced by the Turkish companies to Turkmenistan will make an important contribution to strengthening relations, it was reported.

Bayraktar spoke to reporters following the meeting, noting they discussed a wide range of areas of mutual interest, especially opportunities for cooperation in defence.

Emphasising that Türkiye has made great strides in the field of defence in recent years, he said: "We aim to bring our accumulated experience to the defence systems of Turkmenistan in this regard."

"We are very pleased to see our new and latest products here because our ancestral homeland Turkmenistan is not only one of the sister countries of the Republic of Türkiye but also one of its closest partners," he added.

Saying that Berdimuhamedov explained the orientation of Turkmenistan's foreign policy strategy and the tasks arising from the country's military doctrine, Bayraktar noted Turkmenistan's readiness to increase its defence capacity and mutual cooperation.

The Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) is included in the inventory of the armed forces of Turkmenistan.

Türkiye's 1st fighter jet KAAN is on the way

The maiden flight of the landmark Turkish combat aircraft KAAN is set to take place in a few weeks, sources with knowledge of the project told Anadolu on Tuesday.

Preparations and tests for the flight of KAAN, one of Türkiye's most important defense projects, coming from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), continue at full speed, the sources added.

So far, KAAN's launch seat tests, full-length static tests, static tests of control surfaces, landing gear tests, avionic system tests, fuel tests and engine start-up tests have all been carried out.

Following the completion of ground tests and taxi tests, KAAN is expected to make its maiden flight in a few weeks, said the sources.