The Bayraktar TB-3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first UAV to land on and take off from a short-runway vessel. On November 19, 2024, the TB3 completed its first flight from the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu in tests conducted off the Aksaz Naval Base, marking a transformative moment in naval aviation.

Unlike the TB-2, which is primarily designed for land-based operations, the TB-3 is explicitly engineered for carrier-based use aboard short-runway vessels like TCG Anadolu.  It is equipped with retractable landing gear, capable of handling the stresses of short-runway takeoffs and landings. With dimensions of 8.35 meters in length, a wingspan of 14 meters with folding wings, and a height of 2.6 meters, the aircraft is compact yet highly capable. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,450 kilograms, including a payload capacity of 280 kilograms. Powered by TUSAŞ Engine Industries’ PD-170 engine, the TB3 has an operational radius of 2,200 kilometers and can sustain flights for more than 24 hours at an operational altitude of 20,000 feet, with a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet.