Posted on 12/06/2019 7:38:38 AM PST by Texas Fossil
Just over a decade ago, the prototype of an unmanned aircraft that would become the Bayraktar TB2 took off for its maiden flight at Sinop Airport on the Black Sea. There were few signs then that the mid-sized, twin-boom aircraft would become Turkey’s first indigenously produced armed drone and the backbone of its unmanned air force. At the time, domestic drone manufacturers struggled against technical difficulties and foreign competition. Ten years on, however, the situation is radically different: Ankara’s drone program has morphed into a successful industry that’s already exporting products. It’s also a potent military force that’s further straining the NATO alliance.
Turkey is wielding its new arsenal in a military campaign against Kurdish fighters in Syria, part of a long-standing conflict that has taken on new significance since US President Donald Trump announced a controversial decision to withdraw troops from northern Syria this fall, opening up allied Syrian Kurds to Turkish attacks. The president of France, another NATO ally of Turkey’s, recently accused Turkey of “fighting against those who fight with us.” Turkey’s drones have enabled a conflict in an already volatile region; more worrisome, Ankara’s successful drone program is an example that several other countries hope to emulate.
Drones have proliferated to militaries around the world at a dramatic rate. According to The Drone Databook, a study of military drone capabilities I published with the Center for the Study of the Drone in September, at least 95 countries have a military drone program. These programs are growing in size and complexity. Nearly 60 countries have activated at least 267 units to operate drones. Like many other countries, Turkey has prioritized the development of a domestic industry in order to reduce its dependency on systems made by the United States and Israel, the traditional drone-production powerhouses.
(Excerpt) Read more at thebulletin.org ...
I found this article referenced by a account on twitter that I have know for a long time. He is informed. I suspect the article is accurate.
The threat is real. We must always be aware of our enemies, even those that are NATO members.
Syria Ping
Yes, Turkish drone strikes have killed many civilians in Northern Syria including a Christian humanitarian relief worker from Burma who was working with the Free Burma Rangers. Two other team members were wounded when their ambulance was targeted.
Turkey is run by Great Evil.
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