Tรผrkiye’s leading drone manufacturer, Baykar, announced that the Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) successfully conducted a live-fire test with the MAM-L smart munition after taking off from the TCG Anadolu during the Denizkurdu-II 2025 large scale naval exercise.
The live-fire test, conducted during the Distinguished Observers Day activities of the exercise, marked the first shipborne strike by the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV from aboard the TCG Anadolu. Two TB3s, tail numbers PT-3 and PT-4, took off from Keลan (approximately 190 km west of Istanbul) and flew around 600 km to embark on TCG Anadolu on May 9, 2025.
The drones carried out an attack on a land target on Devecitaลฤฑ Island in the Eastern Mediterranean on May 14, 2025. Each UCAV, armed with two MAM-L precision-guided munitions, successfully took off in sequence from the shipโs short takeoff runway. Enabled by Baykarโs AI-assisted mission planning algorithms, the TB3s conducted a fully autonomous flight and executed two consecutive salvo strikes on designated land targets, delivering all four MAM-L munitions with high precision.
Following the successful strike mission, the UCAV PT-4 autonomously returned and landed aboard TCG Anadolu, while PT-3 completed its mission by landing in Dalaman airport, after which it will be redeployed to Keลan for further testing and development activities.
According to the company, the mission marks a historic achievement in Tรผrkiyeโs naval aviation capabilities, showcasing the successful integration of UCAVs with naval platforms.
Prior to this live-fire operation, test flights conducted on May 11 demonstrated the TB3โs operational readiness. One UCAV was equipped with the ASELFLIR-500 system and the other with the ASELSAN CATS electro-optical reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting system. Both platforms successfully engaged ground targets using MAM-L munitions.
All mission phasesโincluding takeoff, navigation, targeting, and landingโwere carried out fully autonomously through the onboard Ground Control Station (GCS) on TCG Anadolu, with critical support from Baykarโs proprietary AI algorithms.
About Bayraktar TB3
The Bayraktar TB3 is a domestically developed armed UCAV designed to operate from short-runway vessels such as aircraft carriers. In addition to its reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence-gathering roles, the platform is capable of conducting precision strike missions using various air-to-surface munitions mounted on its wing stations.
The TB3 is optimized for naval aviation environments, featuring foldable wings that facilitate compact storage and deployment on maritime platforms. Its design supports both Line-of-Sight (LOS) and Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) communication.
Technical Specifications
- Length: 8.35 meters
- Wingspan: 14 meters
- Maximum Takeoff Weight: 1,450 kilograms
- Cruise Speed / Maximum Speed: 125โ160 knots
- Payload Capacity: 280 kilograms
- Endurance: Over 24 hours
On March 25 and March 27, 2025, the Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) successfully conducted live-fire tests using the supersonic UAV-122 missile developed by Roketsan. During the March 27 test, the TB3 engaged a 6ร6-meter maritime target positioned below the line-of-sight altitude. The target was designated by a Bayraktar TB2 UCAV using laser illumination, demonstrating cooperative engagement between two distinct unmanned platforms.
On June 25, 2024, during a test flight at Baykarโs Flight Training and Test Center in Keลan (Edirne), the Bayraktar TB3 reached an altitude of 36,310 feet. The flight was powered by the domestically developed TEI PD-170 turbodiesel engine. While this altitude falls short of the national record, set at 45,118 feet by the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV.
