Yes, but it's not a significant burden. It’s acceptable if other factors suggest that buying another aircraft is the better option. This UCAV's are very simple platforms, and complicated parts are most likely similar ASELSAN products.
Also, iirc, Karayel uses the same Rotax engine that's been used in TB-2. That's a big chunk of the logistics kerfuffle taken care of.
If they have not changed to Rotax recently Karayel used some other engine, iirc Continental, and it was 80hp not 100, hence the 120 kg payload rather than the 150kg TB2 carries. There is no mention of an engine in Lentatek website, so 80hp it is.
Zafer is just salty because they went for Karayel instead of TB-2.
Niger needs all the donkeys they can get, they are losing. TB2 is hardly a racing horse to be honest. That's why it's valuable. I'm more interested in its camera load, doubt it can accommodate CATS.
It wasn't about this at all, Vestel was tasked with Catapult launched UAV, by SSB. They ended up making a Tactical MALE, which then had a competitor, TB-2.
Actually it doesn't matter if Selcuk is SIL as long its product proven.
Erdogan helped Baykar with massive order. This money flow helped Baykar to grow up. In the second stage, Erdogan threading the export deals with customer. No arms deal, without government permission.
I know somewhat off-topic but I am really tired of reading inane stuff like this. Nepotism would be favoring a company without regard to its merits. Ordering from successful companies and allowing them to export is not nepotism but exactly how it should be. Besides the difficulties Baykar faced in the beginning are well-known. They most certainly did not have it easy. It's a small miracle that they persisted until they produced a product.
They probably directed to Vestel due to delivery date and cost, probably SBB may have directed to save Vestel's ass. I guess SSB sometimes plays such a key role in some exports.
You don't have the data to back this claim I think.
Not necessarily, no. The claim from some that Turkish credit lines and/or military aid dollars were used to channel orders to Baykar over other companies should be investigated in time.
Necessarily so I’m afraid as that is part of the dictionary definition. Regarding military aid, the countries that need aid are the most likely to get a TB-2 as it is cheaper than Anka. The United States does the practice of giving military aid to be used with American private military companies all the time. It is because there is a great positive externality for the government arising from such a sale and the government is willing to pay for it. It has to do with diplomacy, not financial gains for a company.
in Germany also no export of weapons without permission from the government also in the USA. Vetternwirtschaft??
Of course. Nothing wrong with that. But there is a clear conflict of interest there with the government and Baykar, and it needs to be investigated. Did government officials specifically push TB2s over other Turkish products in those talks? We don't know.
I don't know fares of Vestel or TAI, but based on my information Baykar charges Turkish Armed Forces or Government affiliated agency orders at nearly zero profit (and definitely makes a good profit on export orders).
