Turkish police ramping up drone purchases in fight against terror

The Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), Turkey's defense procurement agency, said in a statement on Aug. 21 that it had launched a process to buy 15 drones from the state Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) and 15 from Istanbul-based developer Baykar Makine, for use by police forces. Twelve of the newly purchased drones are considered "urgent."

The police had declared that it needs operative and tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to be used against rising terror attacks, the SSM stated on Aug. 21. 

Efforts, in cooperation with the police, has begun to purchase 15 operative ANKA UAVs, a domestic vehicle developed by the TAI, and 15 tactical Bayraktar UAVs, developed by Baykar. The acquisition plans also cover buying five task systems from each firm, the statement read. 

Two sets of ANKAs, totaling six drones, and two sets of Bayraktars, will be purchased urgently, while the remainder will be bought over years, it added.

The required technical details will be given to the producers soon, the SSM said.