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🇧🇪 Belgium /Economy & Trade

Queen Mathilde visits 'Elon Musk of Turkey', one of the world's most powerful drone builders

From VRT NWS · (2h ago) Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Queen Mathilde of Belgium led an economic delegation to visit Baykar, a prominent Turkish drone manufacturer.
  • Baykar, driven by Selçuk Bayraktar's vision, has become a global player in drone technology, emphasizing technological independence.
  • The company's accessible drones fill a market gap, and its collaborations deepen its presence in the European defense sector.

From Brussels, the visit of Queen Mathilde to Baykar represents a significant moment for Belgian-Turkish economic relations. VRT NWS frames this as a strategic engagement with a key player in global defense technology.

Stop met het aankopen van peperdure westerse wapen­systemen en zet in op eigen drone-ontwikkeling

— Selçuk BayraktarBayraktar reportedly told skeptical Turkish army generals about his ambitious plan to cease purchasing expensive Western weapon systems and focus on developing Turkey's own drone capabilities.

Baykar's rise, spearheaded by Selçuk Bayraktar, is portrayed as a testament to Turkish ambition and technological prowess. The narrative highlights Baykar's journey from an auto-parts manufacturer to a world leader, driven by a philosophy of self-reliance and technological independence – a narrative that resonates with national pride in Turkey.

Van drones of militaire toepassingen is dan nog geen sprake. Toch zit de kern van wat zou volgen al in de bedrijfsfilosofie vervat: zelfredzaamheid en technologische onafhankelijkheid.

— Özdemir BayraktarThe article notes that while Özdemir Bayraktar founded Baykar as an auto-parts producer, the core philosophy of self-reliance and technological independence was already present, a vision his son would later apply to drone development.

The article implicitly acknowledges the geopolitical significance of drone technology. By visiting Baykar, Belgium signals its interest in diversifying its defense partnerships and potentially leveraging Turkish innovation. This aligns with a broader European trend towards strategic autonomy in defense, making Baykar a crucial, albeit sensitive, partner.

In eigen land wordt Selçuk vaak omschreven als de 'Elon Musk van Turkije'

— UnspecifiedSelçuk Bayraktar is frequently referred to as the 'Elon Musk of Turkey' domestically, highlighting his technological expertise and ambitious plans.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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