Bayraktars Striking Artsakh are Erdoğan's Family Business: Mediamax

During the aggression unleashed against Artsakh and Armenia on September 27, Azerbaijan actively used Turkish-made Bayraktar drones (UAVs). The operation of these drones was coordinated with F-16 fighter jets.

Mediamax has attempted to gather facts about the Bayraktar and has made several remarkable discoveries.

When and Who Produces the Bayraktar UAV?

The Bayraktar drone is a joint production of the Turkish companies Kale and Baykar. The drone manufacturer Baykar has familial connections with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The director of Baykar, a supplier to the Turkish military, is Erdoğan's son-in-law Selçuk Bayraktar, who married Erdoğan's daughter Sümeyye in 2016.

It is not excluded that the name Bayraktar was chosen in honor of Erdoğan’s son-in-law, although it is mentioned that the word 'Bayraktar' in Turkish means 'standard bearer' or 'flag bearer.'

The first batch of Bayraktar drones was delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces in November 2014. There are two variants of the Bayraktar UAV: reconnaissance and strike. Both variants are available in the Turkish Armed Forces. Overall, information on 110 units is available in open sources.

How Did Erdoğan's Son End Up in the Cockpit of UAVs?

In January 2018, a photo was published showing Bilal Erdoğan, the president's son, in the cockpit of UAVs alongside military personnel who were directing the operations of the devices in Syria. Interestingly, the photo was shared on Twitter by Erdoğan's son-in-law, Selçuk Bayraktar.

Questions Raised by Turkish Opposition

Turkish opposition parties raised questions to the authorities demanding an explanation of how Bilal Erdoğan, who is neither an official nor a military personnel, ended up in a military facility during a combat operation.

Mobile Control Center for Bayraktar Management

Where Have Bayraktars Been Used?

The Turkish military has used both strike and reconnaissance variants of the Bayraktar UAV against PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) militants. Turkey has employed Bayraktar in Libya, where drones were sent in support of the 'Government of National Accord.' It is known that there have been cases of Bayraktar drones being shot down in Libya.

In 2018, Syrian Democratic Forces reported that they had downed a Turkish Bayraktar UAV. Three instances of UAV downing became known in February-March 2020 in northern Syria.

According to Russian sources, Syrian air defense forces shot down 7 Bayraktar UAVs.

Officially, Azerbaijan began purchasing Bayraktar UAVs from Turkey in the summer of 2020. In June 2020, Azerbaijan's Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov announced that his country had made the decision to acquire unmanned combat aerial vehicles produced in Turkey.