SOURCE: AFI

According to Pakistani sources cited by Indian Defence Research Wing (idrw.org), Pakistan has likely depleted its limited stockpile of Turkish-made drones, including the Asisguard Songar and Byker YIHA III following unsuccessful attempts to target Indian military facilities during the recent India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025. The failure of these drone operations, neutralized by India’s advanced air defense systems, has exposed vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities, prompting discussions about procuring additional drones from Turkey to replenish its arsenal.
On the nights of May 7-9, 2025, Pakistan launched approximately 300-400 drones, primarily Turkish-made Asisguard Songar and Byker YIHA III kamikaze models, targeting 36 locations across India, from Leh to Sir Creek. These attacks, part of Pakistan’s Operation Bunyaan al-Marsoos, aimed to test India’s air defense systems and gather intelligence, with some drones equipped for surveillance and others for kamikaze strikes. However, India’s multi-layered air defense network, including the indigenous Akashteer system, Akash missile defense, and legacy anti-aircraft guns, effectively intercepted the majority of these drones, preventing significant damage to military or civilian infrastructure.
Indian officials reported that debris from downed drones, identified as Turkish-origin models, was recovered in areas like Punjab’s Amritsar, Jammu and Kashmir’s Naushera, and Rajasthan’s Barmer. In one notable incident, a Byker YIHA III drone crashed in Pakistan’s Sialkot due to malfunctions, with locals mistakenly attacking it, believing it to be Indian, highlighting operational and coordination issues. The Indian Army mocked the “overhyped” Turkish drones, with Colonel Sofiya Qureshi stating, “Our trained air defense operators and counter-UAS technologies have proven that no drone, no matter how advanced, can breach our airspace unchallenged.”
Pakistani analysts have expressed frustration over the drones’ poor performance, with reports indicating that at least four YIHA III units crashed within Pakistan’s territory due to technical failures or operator errors. The Songar drones, designed for autonomous swarm tactics and equipped with mini-missiles, and the Bayraktar TB2, praised for its success in conflicts like Nagorno-Karabakh, were no match for India’s advanced radar and electronic warfare systems. This has raised questions about the reliability of Turkish drone technology in high-intensity conflicts against sophisticated defenses.
Pakistani sources suggest that the country’s limited stockpile of Turkish drones, acquired in recent years as part of a growing defense partnership with Turkey, was nearly exhausted during the four-day conflict. Pakistan’s reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly Turkey and China, for UAVs has been a cornerstone of its strategy to counter India’s conventional military superiority. However, the rapid depletion of its drone inventory—estimated at 300-400 units used in the May attacks—has left Pakistan vulnerable, especially given the high loss rate against India’s air defenses.
Turkey has been a key supplier, with Pakistan receiving Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones since 2021, alongside agreements for licensed production and joint training. The Asisguard Songar, a quadrotor UCAV, and the Byker YIHA III, a kamikaze loitering munition, were heavily utilized in the recent conflict, but their ineffectiveness has prompted Pakistan to consider urgent restocking. A Pakistani source cited by Reuters noted that the drones were intended to provide cover for manned aircraft and artillery but “failed to reach targets” due to India’s integrated air defenses.
Faced with this shortfall, Pakistan is reportedly in talks with Turkey to procure additional drones to rebuild its UAV capabilities. Turkey’s defense industry, led by companies like Baykar and Asisguard, has positioned itself as a leading supplier of cost-effective drones, with the Bayraktar TB2 gaining global attention for its role in conflicts like Ukraine and Libya. Pakistan’s state-owned defense conglomerates, such as the National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM) and Global Industrial Defence Solutions (GIDS), have also collaborated with Turkey for licensed production of drones like the TAI Anka and YIHA-III, but domestic production capacity remains limited.
The need for additional drones is driven by Pakistan’s strategic calculus to maintain a low-cost, high-impact option for future operations. Drones offer a politically “cheaper” alternative to manned aircraft or missile strikes, allowing Pakistan to probe India’s defenses without risking significant escalation. However, the recent conflict exposed the limitations of Pakistan’s current drone fleet, particularly against India’s Akashteer system, which integrates seamlessly with army and air force radars for real-time threat detection and neutralization.
The failure of Pakistan’s drone offensive has also dealt a reputational blow to Turkey’s defense industry. Analysts, such as Michael Rubin from the American Enterprise Institute, have criticized the Bayraktar TB2’s performance, warning that countries purchasing Turkish drones risk “wasting hundreds of millions of dollars” against modern air defenses. This could impact Turkey’s global drone market share, as competitors like Israel and the United States gain ground with more advanced systems.
For Pakistan, acquiring more drones poses financial and logistical challenges. The country’s economic constraints limit its ability to invest in large-scale UAV programs, and reliance on foreign suppliers like Turkey and China raises concerns about dependency and supply chain vulnerabilities. Reports indicate that Pakistan’s Chinese-supplied drones, such as the Wing Loong II and CH-4, also underperformed in the conflict, with technical issues like GPS failures and radar malfunctions.
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