Bangladesh Purchases Chinese Drone Production Line, Turkey Is Furious, The Appearance Is Almost the Same as TB-2!
Bangladesh signed an intergovernmental agreement with China Electronics Technology Group (CETC) to build a complete military drone manufacturing plant in the Bogra region of the country. This is not just simple assembly of complete aircraft, but rather a deep cooperation involving "comprehensive technology transfer."
This means that Bangladesh will not only be able to manufacture drones on its own, but in the future, it may also have the ability to maintain, upgrade, and even develop them again. The factory will produce three types of aircraft: medium altitude long endurance (MALE), vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), and so-called "domestically produced" models — note that here, "domestically produced" refers to versions produced in Bangladesh, not completely independently designed.
The key detail lies in the appearance. According to images disclosed by multiple sources, the MALE drone provided by China to Bangladesh has a body layout, twin boom structure, wing shape, as well as the position of the electro-optical turret and weapon mounting points that are highly similar to the famous Turkish TB-2 drone. The TB-2, developed by the Turkish company Baykar, became famous in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war, becoming a symbol of "high cost-effectiveness surveillance and strike integrated drone" for small countries.
Now, a Chinese-made drone that almost "copies" the appearance of the TB-2 is not only exported directly, but also the production line is packaged and exported together, effectively bypassing Turkey's technical barriers and brand premium.
Over the past decade, Turkey has opened up markets in Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and even Latin America with the TB-2, with orders extending as far as three years ahead. Bangladesh was originally also a potential customer — as early as 2022, there were rumors that it intended to purchase the TB-2. Now, however, it has turned to China, not just buying a few aircraft, but building a factory for self-production, effectively permanently removing a major regional client from the Turkish camp. It is estimated that Ankara is furious, but apart from the appearance being similar to Turkey's TB-2, other aspects such as performance and price are completely different.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1855704905327628/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.