Breaking News: Türkiye’s Bayraktar TB3 Makes History with First Sea-Launched drone Strike with IHA-122 Supersonic Missile
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Turkish defense company Baykar announced on March 25, 2025, the successful live-fire test of the Bayraktar TB3 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) using the IHA-122 supersonic missile developed by Roketsan. This event represents a historic first: a drone launched from a short-runway-capable platform has achieved a precision strike on a distant maritime target in coordination with another airborne UCAV, marking a new era of integrated drone warfare.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Bayraktar TB3 UCAV in flight carrying the IHA-122 supersonic missile during its historic first sea-launched strike test, March 25, 2025. (Picture source: Baykar)
Taking off from Dalaman in the southwestern province of Muğla, Türkiye, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) carried a live IHA-122 supersonic missile and ascended for its test flight over the Mediterranean Sea. In this milestone event, a Bayraktar TB2 UCAV operating in the vicinity performed laser target designation on a floating 6-by-6-metre target located over 50 km away. The TB3, receiving target coordinates in real-time, fired the supersonic missile and achieved a direct hit on the designated target on its very first attempt. This successful strike marks not only the first firing of the IHA-122 from the TB3 but also the first instance of two different UCAV platforms collaborating in a precision kill chain scenario—one designating, the other firing—a capability rarely demonstrated in global drone warfare.
What makes this event particularly unique and strategically significant is the confluence of several next-generation defense technologies. The Bayraktar TB3 is the first carrier-capable unmanned aerial vehicle developed in Turkey, designed with foldable wings to operate from short-runway vessels such as the Turkish Navy’s flagship TCG Anadolu. Its ability to conduct strike missions from such platforms revolutionizes the operational doctrine of the Turkish armed forces by projecting unmanned airpower from sea without the logistical burden of large, fixed-runway airbases. The TB3’s integration with high-precision weaponry, such as the IHA-122, expands the potential for naval-based drone strikes, offering minimal radar cross-section and rapid deployment capabilities.
The Bayraktar TB3 is an advanced medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) with a wingspan of 14 m and a maximum take-off weight of approximately 1,450 kg. Powered by a single internal combustion engine, it can operate at altitudes exceeding 9,000 m (30,000 feet) and remain airborne for over 24 hours. The airframe has been designed to support both intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and strike missions, with a payload capacity of 280 kilograms that enables it to carry a broad array of munitions, including precision-guided bombs and smart micro-missiles. Importantly, the TB3 features SATCOM-based beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communications, critical for over-the-horizon operations from sea-based platforms.
The IHA-122 missile, meanwhile, is a supersonic air-to-ground munition derived from the TRG-122 artillery rocket system, part of Roketsan’s broader guided rocket artillery family. The missile has a caliber of 122 mm and is propelled by a solid-fuel rocket motor, which enables it to reach supersonic speeds. It is equipped with a laser seeker head for terminal guidance, offering precision strike capabilities against both stationary and moving targets. The IHA-122 has a range exceeding 50 kilometres when launched from UAVs, making it well-suited for deep-strike missions and time-sensitive targets. It was previously test-fired from larger drones such as the Bayraktar Akıncı, but this marks its first operational use on a carrier-capable tactical UCAV.
Adapted specifically for unmanned platforms, the IHA-122 enhances the strategic options available to the Turkish military by offering a low-cost, high-speed strike solution that does not expose manned aircraft. Its successful deployment from the TB3 reinforces Turkey’s ambition to integrate indigenous munitions with locally developed UAVs, creating a fully sovereign aerial combat ecosystem.
The successful coordination between the Bayraktar TB2 and TB3 UCAVs showcases Turkey’s growing expertise in network-centric warfare and unmanned system interoperability. Unlike conventional drone strikes that rely on a single UAV for surveillance and engagement, this test illustrates a decentralized operational model where multiple unmanned assets can share tactical roles in real-time. Such capabilities significantly increase survivability, flexibility, and strike efficiency in both conventional and asymmetric combat environments.
Baykar’s ongoing development of the TB3, including continued munitions integration and platform testing, positions the aircraft as a transformative tool for naval and expeditionary operations. This test not only validates the TB3’s strike capabilities but also lays the groundwork for future swarming tactics and fully autonomous strike groups.
Overall, this achievement highlights the remarkable progress of the Turkish defense industry in the field of unmanned systems. Over the past decade, Turkey has rapidly evolved from an importer of drone technology to a global innovator and exporter of combat-proven UCAVs. The integration of advanced munitions, autonomous mission profiles, and carrier-operational flexibility signals a maturing ecosystem that continues to reshape modern warfare, placing Turkey among the world’s leading drone powers.
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Turkish defense company Baykar announced on March 25, 2025, the successful live-fire test of the Bayraktar TB3 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) using the IHA-122 supersonic missile developed by Roketsan. This event represents a historic first: a drone launched from a short-runway-capable platform has achieved a precision strike on a distant maritime target in coordination with another airborne UCAV, marking a new era of integrated drone warfare.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Bayraktar TB3 UCAV in flight carrying the IHA-122 supersonic missile during its historic first sea-launched strike test, March 25, 2025. (Picture source: Baykar)
Taking off from Dalaman in the southwestern province of Muğla, Türkiye, the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) carried a live IHA-122 supersonic missile and ascended for its test flight over the Mediterranean Sea. In this milestone event, a Bayraktar TB2 UCAV operating in the vicinity performed laser target designation on a floating 6-by-6-metre target located over 50 km away. The TB3, receiving target coordinates in real-time, fired the supersonic missile and achieved a direct hit on the designated target on its very first attempt. This successful strike marks not only the first firing of the IHA-122 from the TB3 but also the first instance of two different UCAV platforms collaborating in a precision kill chain scenario—one designating, the other firing—a capability rarely demonstrated in global drone warfare.
What makes this event particularly unique and strategically significant is the confluence of several next-generation defense technologies. The Bayraktar TB3 is the first carrier-capable unmanned aerial vehicle developed in Turkey, designed with foldable wings to operate from short-runway vessels such as the Turkish Navy’s flagship TCG Anadolu. Its ability to conduct strike missions from such platforms revolutionizes the operational doctrine of the Turkish armed forces by projecting unmanned airpower from sea without the logistical burden of large, fixed-runway airbases. The TB3’s integration with high-precision weaponry, such as the IHA-122, expands the potential for naval-based drone strikes, offering minimal radar cross-section and rapid deployment capabilities.
The Bayraktar TB3 is an advanced medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) with a wingspan of 14 m and a maximum take-off weight of approximately 1,450 kg. Powered by a single internal combustion engine, it can operate at altitudes exceeding 9,000 m (30,000 feet) and remain airborne for over 24 hours. The airframe has been designed to support both intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and strike missions, with a payload capacity of 280 kilograms that enables it to carry a broad array of munitions, including precision-guided bombs and smart micro-missiles. Importantly, the TB3 features SATCOM-based beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communications, critical for over-the-horizon operations from sea-based platforms.
The IHA-122 missile, meanwhile, is a supersonic air-to-ground munition derived from the TRG-122 artillery rocket system, part of Roketsan’s broader guided rocket artillery family. The missile has a caliber of 122 mm and is propelled by a solid-fuel rocket motor, which enables it to reach supersonic speeds. It is equipped with a laser seeker head for terminal guidance, offering precision strike capabilities against both stationary and moving targets. The IHA-122 has a range exceeding 50 kilometres when launched from UAVs, making it well-suited for deep-strike missions and time-sensitive targets. It was previously test-fired from larger drones such as the Bayraktar Akıncı, but this marks its first operational use on a carrier-capable tactical UCAV.
Adapted specifically for unmanned platforms, the IHA-122 enhances the strategic options available to the Turkish military by offering a low-cost, high-speed strike solution that does not expose manned aircraft. Its successful deployment from the TB3 reinforces Turkey’s ambition to integrate indigenous munitions with locally developed UAVs, creating a fully sovereign aerial combat ecosystem.
The successful coordination between the Bayraktar TB2 and TB3 UCAVs showcases Turkey’s growing expertise in network-centric warfare and unmanned system interoperability. Unlike conventional drone strikes that rely on a single UAV for surveillance and engagement, this test illustrates a decentralized operational model where multiple unmanned assets can share tactical roles in real-time. Such capabilities significantly increase survivability, flexibility, and strike efficiency in both conventional and asymmetric combat environments.
Baykar’s ongoing development of the TB3, including continued munitions integration and platform testing, positions the aircraft as a transformative tool for naval and expeditionary operations. This test not only validates the TB3’s strike capabilities but also lays the groundwork for future swarming tactics and fully autonomous strike groups.
Overall, this achievement highlights the remarkable progress of the Turkish defense industry in the field of unmanned systems. Over the past decade, Turkey has rapidly evolved from an importer of drone technology to a global innovator and exporter of combat-proven UCAVs. The integration of advanced munitions, autonomous mission profiles, and carrier-operational flexibility signals a maturing ecosystem that continues to reshape modern warfare, placing Turkey among the world’s leading drone powers.
