The Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It is manufactured by the Turkish company Baykar Defence, primarily for the Turkish Armed Forces. The aircraft are monitored and controlled by an aircrew in a ground control station, including weapons employment. The development of the UAV has been largely credited to Selçuk Bayraktar, a former MIT graduate student. While the Turkish Armed Forces describes Bayraktar TB2 as "Tactical UAV Class" to prevent it from being a competitor to the TAI Anka UAV, international standards would classify it as a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV.
As a part of its military modernization program the Armed Forces of Ukraine purchased 12 Bayraktar TB2s in 2019.After successful testing of the aircraft, the Ukrainian Navy made a separate order for 6 Bayraktar TB2s, set to be delivered in 2021, according to navy officials.Meanwhile, Turkish and Ukrainian officials announced the establishment of a joint venture to produce 48 additional Bayraktar TB2s in Ukraine.The first batch of the Bayraktar TB2 complex was delivered to the Navy in July 2021.
During a Russian military buildup in Crimea and near Ukraine's borders, a Bayraktar TB2 conducted a reconnaissance flight over the Donbas region on 9 April 2021. This was the first operationalization of the aircraft by the Ukrainian Forces within an active conflict zone. In October 2021, a Bayraktar TB2 drone was used for the first time in combat during the war, targeting a Russian separatist artillery position, destroying a D-30 howitzer, and halting the bombardment of Ukrainian troops near Hranitne.
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Bayraktar TB2 drones have been used by the Ukraine’s armed forces against Russian troops. In January prior to the invasion, the spokesperson for the air force command Lt. Col. Yuri Ignat confirmed that "Ukraine has approximately 20 Bayraktar drones, but we will not stop there".On 24 February, the day of invasion, the People's Militia of the Luhansk People’s Republic claimed it shot down two TB2 drones near the city of Luhansk. On 27 February, the Ukraine’s air force confirmed two strikes by TB2 on Russian convoys in the Kherson and Zhytomyr regions.
According to video footage released by the armed forces, TB2 drones successfully destroyed several Russian military vehicles including surface-to-air missile systems. The drone also reportedly destroyed two Russian fuel trains. The chief of Ukraine’s air force Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk called the UAV system "life-giving". On 2 March, Ukrainian defense minister Oleksii Reznikov announced the arrival of additional TB2 drones.
![](https://s2.save4k.ru/pic/0pH24gLGAV0/maxresdefault.jpg)