Baykar, the Turkish drone maker whose armed aircraft have been used in conflicts from Ukraine to Azerbaijan and Ethiopia, is planning to make more drones next year than in any previous year combined.

The company plans 500 of its signature TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles and 40 newer Akinci models in 2023, Chief Executive Officer Haluk Bayraktar told the state-run Anadolu Agency, citing surging foreign demand.

Both targets, which require more than double current capacity, would top the total 400 TB2s and 20 Akincis that Bayraktar said he’s made to date. The first TB2 was delivered in 2014, according to the company website.

The plans will accelerate the spread of a technology that was previously the reserve of more established arms producers like the US and Israel to countries with smaller defense budgets, and boost Turkey’s export figures.

Baykar has export deals with 24 countries, Bayraktar said without identifying them, up from 22 in August. Recent potential buyers include Malaysia and Romania. Ukraine has used Baykar drones against Russian forces, with the company donating several to its war effort.

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