Bayraktar TB2

The Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance armed UAV developed by Baykar Technologies of Turkey. It carries four MAM-L laser-guided micro-munitions and gained global prominence after being used effectively against Russian armour and air-defence systems in the early phase of the 2022 invasion. Ukraine operated TB2s before the invasion and used them extensively in the critical first weeks of the war.

Armed reconnaissance; anti-armour strikes; suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD); artillery correction Ukraine had 36 TB2s before the full-scale invasion; Turkey expedited deliveries after February 24. In the initial weeks of war, TB2s operated almost freely as Russia's air-defence network was disorganised. By mid-2022, Russia deployed more dedicated SHORAD systems and EW assets, and TB2 losses increased. Ukraine adapted TB2s to a primarily ISR (reconnaissance) role and used them as decoys to draw Russian air-defence radar emissions for HARM missiles. The TB2 remains active in 2024–2025, mainly for ISR over lower-density fronts.

Ukraine. First documented use in Ukraine: 2022-02-26.

Combat-proven and relatively low cost (~$5M per aircraft) Long endurance — 27 hours enables persistent area surveillance Precision laser-guided munitions (MAM-L) with <1 m CEP Operated far below manned aircraft, in denied airspace Remote launch option up to 150 km from ground control

Subsonic and non-stealthy — vulnerable to SHORAD (Pantsir, Tor-M2) in 2022+ Dependent on clear weather for EO/IR sensor acquisition Low payload (4 small munitions per sortie) Electronic warfare vulnerabilities to GPS/communications jamming Not effective against dispersed infantry or underground positions

The Bayraktar TB2 has a range of 150 km. Ukraine became genuinely famous for its early TB2 strikes — viral videos of tanks, artillery, and air-defence systems being destroyed by laser-guided munitions influenced global public perception. TB2s struck Russian Buk-M1 systems on Snake Island in 2022 and were later used to support the sinking of the Moskva cruiser by providing targeting data.