Turkish military shipment arrives in Maldives amid speculation over drones
The government purchased drones from Turkey and inaugurated the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Air Wing on 15 March 2024 at N. Maafaru.
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A Turkish military shipment arrived at Addu’s Gan International Airport early on Friday morning.
According to flight tracking data, the aircraft landed in Addu at 2:44am. The cargo flight, operated by Air Master Airlines using a Boeing 737-8F2 aircraft registered in Egypt, had departed from Tekirdağ, Turkey, and made a stop in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, before arriving in the Maldives.
Tekirdağ is home to several Turkish military facilities, including Çorlu Airport, which houses a military base. It is also the location of Baker Technologies, the company that manufactures drones recently donated by Turkey to the Maldives. The company operates training and testing centres for drone operations.
While it is reported that the shipment included military equipment, no official confirmation has been provided. Government officials did not comment on the nature of the cargo when contacted.
There has been public speculation that the latest shipment may include drones. The government purchased drones from Turkey and inaugurated the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Air Wing on 15 March 2024 at N. Maafaru. The event was attended by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon.
However, the government has not disclosed details of the drone purchase or its cost, citing national security considerations.
