Baykar, one of the leading names in Türkiye’s defense industry and a global UAV manufacturer, continues to expand its influence across the African continent. With its indigenous armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Baykar is playing a pivotal role in enhancing the security and stability of African nations. The company’s participation in BAMEX’25—held in Mali’s capital Bamako and notable for featuring only Turkish defense firms—highlighted the growing importance of its solutions in Africa.

At the event, Baykar showcased scale models of its flagship platforms: Bayraktar TB2, Bayraktar AKINCI, Bayraktar TB3 and Türkiye’s first unmanned fighter aircraft, Bayraktar KIZILELMA. International delegations showed strong interest in the systems, particularly the Bayraktar TB2, which has become widely recognized in Africa for its intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and its precision strike performance. The TB2’s affordability, proven operational success and adaptability to modern battlefield requirements have made it a preferred choice for many African armed forces.

Africa has rapidly become one of Baykar’s fastest-growing markets. A wide range of countries—including Mali, Morocco, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Libya, Burkina Faso, Togo, Niger, Djibouti, Somalia, Rwanda and Kenya—have integrated Baykar’s UAVs into their national defense inventories. The export of complementary payloads such as smart munitions, electro-optical systems and other mission equipment developed within Türkiye’s defense ecosystem further enhances the operational effectiveness of these platforms on the continent.

Baykar’s export success is a testament to Türkiye’s rising prominence in global defense aviation. Since launching its UAV R&D program in 2003, the company has generated 83% of its revenues from exports. It has consistently remained among Türkiye’s top 10 exporters across all industries and has become the leading exporter in the defense and aerospace sector. Today, Baykar stands as the world’s largest exporter of armed UAVs, with more than 90% of its recent contracts signed with foreign customers. The company has reached agreements with 37 countries—an achievement that places Türkiye at the forefront of the global UAV market.

The growing preference for Turkish UAVs across Africa reflects not only the operational success of Baykar’s platforms but also the continent’s search for reliable and effective defense partners. With a strong presence, expanding user base and dependable performance in field operations, Baykar continues to shape the future of African security and defense modernization.