How glorified during the Karabakh war Turkish drones Bayraktar will affect the course of war in Ukraine? This issue is asked by the experts of the German Wave. As you know, Kyiv purchased drones at Ankara before the invasion of Russia. And these drones have already successfully applied to the Russian Army several times.
How many drones bayraktar Ukraine purchased from Turkey?
However, it is reliably to find out how often Turkish drones were used effectively, today it is impossible today. As it is impossible to obtain independent confirmations of Moscow’s statements that the Russian military allegedly shot down a few Bayraktar drones, which are in service with the VSU since 2019. Just before the beginning of the war, Kyiv purchased about 50 of these drifts.
Last Wednesday, March 2, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that the additional Bayraktar, the number of which was not called, were taken to the country and prepared for combat use. And on Thursday, President Vladimir Zelensky said that Ukraine received great advantages from using Bayraktar.
As usual in such cases, the Turkish side has not yet commented on the situation.
Bayraktar TB2 drone is designed and manufactured by the Turkish company Baykar owned by two brothers. A small firm founded in 1984, during the Board of the Fair and Development and Development (PSR), has become a real weapon giant. It belongs to the Bayraktar family, one of her members – Selchuk Bayraktar – is the technical director of the company.
Baykar, according to its own data, from 2006 to 2021 increased exports of their products seven times. According to the media, only the Bayraktar TB2 drip drone was received from 16 countries, including from Azerbaijan, Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. Poland announced last year about the purchase of 24 such drones, becoming the first NATO country (besides the Turkish itself), which will receive such a weapon.
Bayraktar TB2 has already been used during hostilities in Iraq, Syria and Libya against the army of General Caliph Haftar, as well as Azerbaijan. It is reported that the overall raid of these drones exceeds 420,000 hours. More recently, they were used during the Civil War in Ethiopia – it is this drone attributed to the application in January, as a result of which 58 civilians died.
Bayraktar TB2 has a length of 6.50 m and the wingspan of 12 m. It may be in the air more than 24 hours and develops the maximum speed of about 220 km / h. And that is especially important – this drone, according to experts, is cheaper than similar products of Western competitors.
Can the use of drones affect the course of war?
At the moment there are no reliable information about how much percussion drifts has now Ukraine and whether Turkey has delivered additionally ordered specimens. But if so, can Bayraktar TB2 determine the outcome of the fighting in Ukraine?