Turkish Bayraktar drones are now key in Ukraine's reconnaissance missions

At the start of the war in Ukraine, Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones were decimating Russian troops. Currently, information about these machines does not appear in reports from the front, but that doesn’t mean the Ukrainians have stopped using them. They now serve different purposes.

Bayraktar TB2 is a MALE (Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance) unmanned aerial vehicle. It can carry up to 330 lbs of payload. Importantly, it has been adapted to carry not only weapons but also an observation module with a thermal imaging camera or AESA radar. Thanks to this, it features very wide functionality and, depending on the payload carried, can perform attack or reconnaissance missions.

In the early phase of the war, Ukrainians used Bayraktar TB2 drones mainly to attack Russian transports and military equipment. This resulted in significant losses for the invaders. Over time, the Russians significantly improved their air defense systems, making it impossible 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 make the Bayraktar TB2 drones useless in Ukraine. They currently serve the defending army for different purposes. 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.

According to the Turkish portal, Bayraktar TB2s are currently mission coordinators, especially in the Black Sea region. The portal cited information from sources including GUR (Ukrainian Defense Intelligence).

In a similar tone, Ukrainian military officials spoke in a recent 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.

Bayraktar TB2 measures about 21.3 ft in length and has a wingspan of 39.4 ft. It is a drone that can ascend to an altitude of 26,247 ft and reach a maximum speed of about 124 mph. During strike missions, Turkish drones can use laser-guided bombs MAM-L and MAM-C, which weigh approximately 49 lbs and 15 lbs, respectively.