Albania received three Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles, the star of the Turkish defence industry, according to an announcement by Defence Minister Niko Peleshi of Albania.
This procurement was executed as part of the Albanian armed forces' "modernisation" initiative.
Posting photos of the TB2s at the Kucova Air Base, Peleshi announced on Facebook: "We have been engaged in the assembly of the UCAVs for the past two days. We are also working on implementing the control and support infrastructure."
The Kucova air base, located 80 kilometres south of Tirana and renovated two years ago with funds from NATO, of which Albania has been a member since 2009, will be officially inaugurated on Monday.
According to Peleshi, it will be a "NATO tactical air base".
According to the minister, the purchase of these UCAVs, which will "strengthen" the country's "defence capabilities," is "a symbol of Albania's commitment to the modernisation of its armed forces."
Albania entered into a contractual agreement with Baykar, a Turkish company, in December 2022 to procure three UCAVs. This contract, according to Albanian officials, "merely constitutes the initial segment of a fleet that is anticipated to expand."
Additionally, the contract outlines provisions for the training of over thirty individuals and the upkeep of the devices.
Subsequent to its successful trials in Libya and Azerbaijan, the TB2 model manufactured by the privately held Turkish company Baykar was deployed by Ukrainian forces in Ukraine during the initial hours of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in February 2022.
These machines, which are 6.5 metres in length and half as heavy as their American competitor Reaper, are capable of flying for up to 27 hours at a speed of over 220 kilometres per hour and can carry "four intelligent laser-guided munitions," according to the manufacturer's website.