Erdogan Announces First Domestic Electric Locomotive

Turkish Drone

As part of the bright promises ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for May 14, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that this year will witness the beginning of trials for the first domestically produced electric locomotive. This announcement came during his speech on Tuesday evening at the inauguration of service projects in the city of "Eskişehir," which is known for its rebellious nature and continuous support for the Republican People's Party. He explained that they would inaugurate 99 investment projects in the city, with a total value of 4 billion and 644 million lira, equivalent to approximately 244 million dollars.

Erdogan pointed out that Eskişehir has contributed two billion dollars to the country through boron processing over the last five years. He stated, "This year, we will acquire three more boron processing facilities for Eskişehir, with an investment of 501 million lira." He added that this year will see the trial and certification of the first domestically produced electric locomotive (after completing the design, production, and installation of the locomotive and its subsystems).

Echoing Erdogan's sentiment, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey has become a significant player in supplying the world with energy, especially Europe. His statement came during a speech at an iftar dinner in the city of "Isparta" in the south of the country. Cavusoglu, who is running for parliamentary elections on behalf of the Justice and Development Party representing Antalya in southern Anatolia, emphasized that the government wants Turkey to become a global power. He said, "We are working to achieve complete self-sufficiency by meeting our energy needs," and added, "But we have become a significant player in supplying the world with energy, especially Europe." He drew attention to the importance of the independence of the defense industries for Turkey's sovereignty, stating, "Our warplanes, armed drones, and ships must be Turkish-made, and we have reached this point through the investments we have made."

New Drone Successfully Passes Tests

According to local media, the Turkish unmanned combat aerial vehicle "Bayraktar Kizil Alma" successfully passed tests in high-speed maneuvers and the transfer of the landing gear to the aircraft body for the first time. A statement issued by the manufacturing company, which is owned by the president's relatives, stated that the test campaigns for the Bayraktar Kizil Alma, developed entirely with its resources, are ongoing according to the plans. The drone successfully completed its first flight with its landing gear closed, marking the end of another essential phase within the scope of the Bayraktar Kizil Alma flight test campaign.

The statement indicated that the test took place at the "Akinci" training center in the district of Çorlu in the city of "Tekirdag" in northwestern Anatolia. The drone successfully conducted system identification tests and high-speed maneuvers with the landing gear closed for the first time. It also carried out high-speed flights at low altitudes over the runway and is expected to enter full-scale production at the beginning of next year. It is worth mentioning that the "Bayraktar Kizil Alma" is the first locally developed Turkish combat drone. This year, it successfully completed its first flight in preparation for operational tasks and passed a medium-altitude system identification test. The drone, with a takeoff weight of 6 tons, can carry up to 1,500 kilograms at maximum capacity. It was designed to use locally developed ammunition.