Turkish drone technology company Skydagger has released a short promotional video on its social media accounts showing a tank bearing a blue flag and closely resembling an Israeli Merkava being attacked by one of the company’s drones.
The tank, which is not explicitly identified in the video, initially appears alongside the word “problem.” After the strike, as the vehicle is shown burning, the word changes to “solution.”
‘Problem’ and ‘solution’: The Turkish company’s promotional video
(Video: SKYDAGGER)
Turkish news outlet Istanbul Post identified the tank as an Israeli Merkava, writing that the drone “dives and leaves the Merkava burning on the screen.” The outlet noted that although Skydagger does not name the tank in the clip, the flag on its turret and the shape of the vehicle closely resemble the Israeli-made tank.
The Merkava is Israel’s domestically designed and manufactured main battle tank and forms the backbone of the IDF’s armored forces. It has been extensively used in Israeli ground operations in the Gaza Strip.
Istanbul Post described the video as the first instance in which a Turkish defense company had openly presented an Israeli military tank as the target in a promotional campaign. The outlet also noted that the Merkava is equipped with the Trophy active protection system, while pointing to the war in Ukraine as evidence of how relatively inexpensive first-person-view, or FPV, drones can threaten even heavily armored vehicles.
Skydagger is a Turkish drone technology company founded in 2024. According to the company, it develops unmanned systems and defense technologies, including tactical drones and autonomous systems.
“With our unique expertise in the defense industry, we provide value-added engineering solutions in advanced information technologies,” the company says on its website. Its stated vision is “to become a global leader and a reliable solution partner in autonomous systems by producing world-class technology.”
The promotional video comes only months after Skydagger entered into a cooperation agreement with major U.S. defense contractor L3Harris Technologies.
In June, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on advanced counter-drone technologies. Under the agreement, they are exploring the integration of Skydagger interceptor drones into L3Harris’ VAMPIRE counter-unmanned aircraft system.
L3Harris said the planned drone-on-drone capability would be manufactured in the United States for allied operations, with the partnership intended to expand VAMPIRE’s ability to detect and defeat unmanned aerial threats.