Muhammed Enes Yildirim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
- Over the past decade, Turkish firms have become a major designers and manufacturers of drones.
- One firm, Baykar, is rapidly developing its newest and potentially most promising drone, the Kızılelma.
- Turkey's Navy plans to make Kızılelma the primary aircraft on its first aircraft carrier.
In less than a decade, Turkey has become a drone powerhouse. Unmanned aerial vehicles were its defense industry's single largest export last year, totaling $871.5 million — an 80% increase over 2021.