Yoni

Exclusive: A former senior Saudi official tells @BashaReport that the @BaykarTech drones seen at East Oweinat Airbase were procured by Saudi Arabia. The sightings were first reported by @declanwalsh, @malachybrowne, and @EricSchmittNYT for @nytimes. It remains unclear who was operating the drones. They may have been flown by Saudi, Turkish, Egyptian, or Sudanese crews. In July 2023, Baykar and Saudi Arabia’s @modgovksa signed an agreement to export and cooperate on the Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV. The deal covers training, technical support, and logistics. Turkish officials described it as the biggest defense contract in the country’s history. Baykar’s CEO said it was the largest defense sale ever between the two countries. It also stands as Türkiye’s largest single defense and aerospace export to date. On August 7, 2025, Saudi Arabia signed a strategic agreement with Baykar Tech to localize drone manufacturing in the kingdom. The project is handled through state owned Saudi Arabian Military Industries @SAMIDefense. Earlier this year, around January 7, a video surfaced showing a Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV that had crashed near Nyala in South Darfur State. The area is controlled by the Rapid Support Forces RSF. The footage shows the ANTIDOT 2-U electronic warfare system made by Turkish defense firm ASELSAN. The system is designed to protect the UAV from air defense threats. The video also shows a MAM-T precision guided glide munition. It is not clear whether the crashed drone flew from Port Sudan under SAF control or from East Oweinat Airbase. The photos below are from October 14, 2025. They show the 21st graduation ceremony of the Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV training program. The event marked the completion of training for members of the @modgovksa Royal Saudi Air Force #RSAF. Those present included Baykar General Manager @haluk Bayraktar, Turkish Air Force Commander General Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu, and #RSAF Commander H.R.H. Lt. Gen. Turki Bin Bandar Bin Abdulaziz AlSaud. Additionally, the Turkish government is pushing for a broader defense deal with Saudi Arabia valued at about $6 billion. The talks include potential sales of warships, tanks, and missile systems. Turkish officials say the package could also involve Saudi Arabia joining a Turkish Kaan jet development project. Ankara wants to sell its main battle tank, the Altay, to the kingdom, along with missile defense systems. nytimes.com/2026/02/01/world…