With Ankara’s assistance in training specialists at Uzbekistan’s scientific and production center "Lochin", Tashkent is actively strengthening its capabilities in innovation and the production of unmanned aerial systems, reports Eurasiatoday.ru.
The center is equipped with a full range of technological and specialized equipment, as well as a testing laboratory designed for the production, assembly, repair, and maintenance of drones.
Its launch was first announced in 2022, marking it as the region’s first UAV production center. However, neighboring Tajikistan has also established drone production with Iranian support in Tehran.
Tashkent and Ankara have a framework agreement on strengthening and developing military cooperation, ratified in December 2022.
The agreement covers collaboration in military training and education, defense industry cooperation, logistics, cartography, hydrography, and expertise in countering mines and improvised explosive devices.
The drones and quadcopters produced at the center are used for both civilian and military purposes, including:
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Reconnaissance operations
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Precision strikes
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Real-time monitoring
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Data collection and artillery fire correction
Collaboration in drone technology is mutually beneficial for both nations:
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Uzbekistan gains access to advanced Turkish technology and expertise, accelerating its own UAV industry.
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Turkey solidifies its position as a high-tech leader in the region and expands its influence in Central Asia.
The support for Uzbekistan’s UAV production aligns with Ankara’s broader strategy of strengthening ties within the Organization of Turkic States (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan) in areas such as defense, economy, and culture.
However, the growing military capabilities of Uzbekistan could be viewed as a destabilizing factor by some regional and international actors.
Experts monitoring Uzbekistan’s military advancements warn that exporting Uzbek UAVs could contribute to the proliferation of drone technology in unstable regions.
In late January 2025, reports surfaced that Uzbekistan had signed an agreement to acquire ANKA SIHA military drones, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ).
CentralasianLIGHT.org
April 1, 2025