Bayraktar TB2 drones shift roles to support Ukraine's Black Sea strategy
Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones at the start of the war in Ukraine were heavily impacting Russian troops. Currently, information about these machines does not appear frequently in reports from the front lines, but that doesn’t mean they have stopped being used by the Ukrainians. They now serve different purposes than before.
The Bayraktar TB2 is a MALE (Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance) unmanned aerial vehicle. It can carry up to 150 kilograms of payload. Significantly, it has been adapted to carry weapons and an observation module with a thermal imaging camera or AESA radar. Thanks to this, it features extensive functionality and can perform attack or reconnaissance missions depending on the payload carried.
Bayraktar TB2 drones are still serving in Ukraine
In the early phase of the war, Ukrainians used Bayraktar TB2 drones mainly to attack Russian transports and military equipment, among other things. This resulted in significant losses for the invaders. Over time, the Russians significantly improved their air defence systems, making it difficult for Ukrainians to perform attacks using these Turkish drones.
An article published on the Turkish portal SavunmaSanayiST emphasized that the abandonment of attack missions did not render the Bayraktar TB2 drones useless in Ukraine. They currently serve the defending army for different purposes than before. They help detect Russian ships and ground targets, mainly in the Black Sea region. Information received from the drones is later passed on to units using rocket artillery, such as HIMARS systems.
"Currently, Bayraktar TB2s play the role of mission coordinators, especially in the Black Sea region" – it was written on the Turkish portal, citing information from sources including the GUR (Ukrainian Defense Intelligence).
The capabilities of Bayraktar TB2 drones
In a similar tone, Ukrainian military officials recently spoke in an interview about using Bayraktar TB2 drones. The Turkish portal also recalled that Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2 drone operators praise these unmanned aerial vehicles for their versatility and reliability.
The Bayraktar TB2 measures about 6.5 metres in length and has a wingspan of 12 metres. It is a drone that can ascend to an altitude of 8,000 metres. The maximum speed it can reach is about 200 kilometres per hour. During strike missions, Turkish drones can use laser-guided bombs MAM-L and MAM-C, which weigh approximately 22 kilograms and 7 kilograms, respectively.
