Islamabad: Pakistan secured second place at the Best International Military Drone Team Competition (BIMDTC) in Ankara, Türkiye. Captain Talha stood second among more than 100 pilots in the individual category.

Türkiye was the team winner, followed by Pakistan, Italy and France. An official results announcement confirming these positions was not available for independent verification.

BIMDTC stands for the Best International Military Drone Team Competition. Organised by the Turkish Land Forces Command, the inaugural event brings together military teams operating unmanned aircraft to demonstrate their operational skills, technical proficiency and teamwork.

The competition is being held at Temelli Airfield in Ankara. Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence describes it as an opportunity to strengthen military cooperation and encourage the exchange of knowledge and experience in unmanned aerial systems.

The event assesses the capabilities of participating teams and operators. A placing in the competition should therefore be understood as a result in a defined skills contest, rather than a ranking of countries’ overall military drone capabilities.

Official Turkish information lists 32 participating countries, comprising 18 competitors and 14 observers. Turkish defence ministry spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk confirmed the breakdown during an October 22 briefing, saying Türkiye was represented by five teams from different forces and commands.