Turkey’s armed drones put to test in Hungary: Report

BUDAPEST, Hungary

Turkey’s armed drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have been tested by the Hungarian army, local newspaper Magyar Nemzet reported on Friday.

The news report said the KARAYEL-SU armed drone developed by Vestel Defense was photographed both on land and in the air at the Hungarian Armed Forces' Papa Air Base.

According to the report, "Turkish drones showcased at Papa" by David Laszlo, Gaspar Maroth, a Hungarian defense official, said in May that Hungary has in place a drone strategy since 2018 and has reviewed many Turkish companies for procurement.

Pointing out that Hungarian security forces may prefer the KARAYEL-SU drones, the report said the UAVs have a 20-hour endurance rating in addition to its fully autonomous takeoff, landing and flight features.

According to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has risen to the world’s top three in combat drone technology, and all the drones produced by Turkish defense companies are in high demand worldwide.

Turkish drones are said to have altered battleground equations in high intensity conflicts such as Syria, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan in Ankara