No Foreign Military Personnel Will Operate the New Drones, Says Muizzu
Photo: The President’s Office
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu assured that no foreign military personnel would be stationed to operate the military drones commissioned under the MNDF Air Corps and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) unit.
The affirmation came during the Q&A program ‘Raeesge Javaab’, where a local citizen raised a question regarding the deployment of foreign officers to operate the vehicles in the Maldives.
advertisement
advertisement
advertisement
Muizzu responded, underscoring the current administration’s firm stance against foreign military presence in the Maldives.
“No foreign military or nation will be involved, nor will they extend assistance for the MNDF Air Corps and UAV services recently launched,” Muizzu stated.
He further mentioned that a batch of MNDF officers had recently travelled to Turkey for training on operating the vehicles, with more batches expected to follow suit soon.
“Maldivian military personnel will be solely responsible for operating the drones,” added the president.
While concerns about foreign military presence were raised, the current administration had initiated efforts to repatriate Indian military personnel from the Maldives shortly after assuming power.
Muizzu had previously urged New Delhi to facilitate the return of its soldiers, who were stationed in the Maldives to operate two helicopters and a Dorneir aircraft, by May 10.
The first batch of soldiers has already been repatriated, with a civilian replacement group arriving shortly after.
Muizzu officially launched the MNDF Air Corps and UAV services for the Maldives Defense Force on March 15th, marking the end of decades-long reliance on foreign allies for border patrol and safety.
The Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey, measuring six meters in length and with a 12-meter wing-span, come equipped with communications gear weighing approximately 700 kilograms, capable of transmitting signals within a range of 300 kilometers.
With a maximum speed ranging between 70 to 120 knots and the ability to operate continuously for 27 hours, the drones boast a maximum altitude of 25,000 feet.
