Author: - Date: April 8, 2023, 8:19 a.m. - Category: Defense

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Bayraktar Tb2, an Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that has made a name for itself worldwide, is a weapon equipped with artificial intelligence, for which songs have been written with its success in the Ukraine - Russia war. In this article, we will cover all the curious topics about Bayraktar TB2, the product of Baykar company. Its features, price, which countries it was sold to, how many countries are waiting in line and more in this article... 

What is Bayraktar TB2

Produced by Baykar Defence (BaykarTech), Bayraktar TB2 (Tactical Block 2) is an unmanned aerial vehicle available in armed and unarmed versions. Developed by Baykar Defence, which has been working on unmanned aerial vehicles for many years, Bayraktar TB2 first reached an altitude of 27,030 feet (8,240 m) in a fully loaded flight test on June 14, 2014, and then covered a distance of 4040 km at an altitude of 5,500 meters in a flight of 24 hours and 34 minutes in flight tests on August 5-6. In the firing tests, it hit the targets with 100% success with the guided missile named MAM-L by Roketsan on December 17, 2015.

Today, Bayraktar TB2, which has the highest localization rate in the world with 93% localization rate, first entered the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces in 2014. 

The armed and unarmed versions of Bayraktar TB2s are used for many purposes. Bayraktar TB2 Siha has been actively used by the Turkish Armed Forces in Claw Operations, in operations against terrorist organizations in Syria, and in the civil war in Libya. In the recent 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, Bayraktar TB2 Siha, used by the Azerbaijani Army, has once again been on the agenda of the whole world with its successes and victories against Russian Pantsir Air Defense systems. According to Azerbaijani sources, 535 targets were destroyed by Bayraktar TB2 and the total cost of these targets exceeded 1 billion dollars. 

Bayraktar TB2 has been used in many different missions and operations, and has been recorded as the Turkish Siha and UAV with a total of 500,000 flight hours and the longest time in the sky. 

Bayraktar TB2 Development Process and Stages

The development process of the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicle actually started with Selçuk Bayraktar's studies in this field after studying in the United States. In 2007, within the scope of the "Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System Development Program" initiated by the Undersecretariat of Defense Industries, Özdemir Bayraktar first designed the "Çaldıran" (Bayraktar TB1), which successfully completed standard tests such as tactical tests, landing and take-off tests in September and October 2009. 

Following these successes, the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries started negotiations with Baykar Defence in 2010 for the procurement of a total of 12 tactical UAVs, and mass production started in December 2011, based on the contracts signed. Although the contract included the Bayraktar TB1, the Bayraktar TB2, with its iconic tail design, longer wingspan and higher take-off weight, was developed and put into mass production instead of the Bayraktar TB1. In this context, the first flight of Bayraktar TB2s took place in 2014 and the first phase of 6 Bayraktar TB2 Siha was delivered on November 22, 2014 and entered the inventory. 

• Bayraktar TB1 (Block A) performed its first automatic flight test at Keşan Military Airport on June 8, 2009.
• Bayraktar TB1 performed flight tests at Sinop Airport in the presence of an official delegation on October 3, 2009. 
• Undersecretariat for Defence Industries decides to start negotiations with Baykar Defence for 2 Tactical UAV systems 6 January 2010.
• The contract for the purchase of 12 Bayraktar TB1s was signed between SSM and Baykar Defence on December 20, 2011.
• Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System Development Project was initiated on January 6, 2012.
• Bayraktar TB2 completed its first automatic flight test on April 29, 2014. 
• On June 14, 2014, Bayraktar TB2, fully loaded, reached an altitude of 27,030 feet, breaking Turkey's altitude record.
• On August 5-6, 2014, Bayraktar TB2, fully loaded, flew at an altitude of 5,500 meters for 24 hours and 34 minutes, covering a total distance of 4,040 km.
• On December 9, 2015, Bayraktar TB2 completed 1000 hours of flight without any breakdown. 
• In June 2019, Bayraktar TB2 became the first UAV and UCAV to complete 300,000 hours of flight.
• Bayraktar TB2S, which has a longer flight range by integrating SATCOM, made its first flight on December 4, 2020.
• Bayraktar TB2 further improved its records by flying 400,000 hours on November 26, 2021 and 500,000 hours on August 25, 2022.

Bayraktar TB2 Technical Specifications 

• Communication Range: <300 km
• Cruising - Maximum Speed: 70 knots - 120 knots
• Payload Capacity: 150 kg
• Payload - ISR - Interchangeable:  EO/IR/LD or Multipurpose AESA Ra
• Payload - Munitions: 4 Laser Guided Smart Munitions
• Fuel Capacity / Type: 300 Liters / Gasoline
• Take-off and Landing: Runway (Automatic)
• Maximum take-off weight: 700 kg
• Airborne 27 Hours
• Wing Span 12 mt.
• Height: 2.2 mt.
• Length: 6.5 mt.
• Propulsion Type: 105 Hp Internal Combustion Injection Engine
• Operational - Maximum Altitude: 18,000 feet - 25,000 feet

Weapons Used in Bayraktar TB2s

• L-UMTAS (Long Range Anti-Tank System)
• MAM (Mini Intelligent Munition) : MAM-C and MAM-L precision guided munitions
• Roketsan Javelin (70mm missile system)
• TÜBİTAK-SAGE BOZOK Laser Guided Miniature Munition.
• TÜBİTAK-SAGE TOGAN Unguided/Low Profile Guided Mortar Ammunition
• TÜBİTAK-SAGE KUZGUN Modular Joint Munition KUZGUN-TjM, the turbojet configuration of the KUZGUN munition, has a range of approximately 245 kilometers, while KUZGUN-SS has a range of approximately 110 kilometers.

Countries Bayraktar TB2 Sold to

1. Turkey - Total 150 Units
2. Qatar - Total 6 Units
3. Libya - Unknown Number
4. Ukraine - Total 50+ Units
5. Azerbaijan - 24 pieces
6. Turkmenistan - Unknown Number
7. Morocco - Total 13 Units
8. Ethiopia - At least 4 pieces are known
9. Kyrgyzstan - Unknown Number
10. Pakistan - Unknown Number
11. Djibouti - Unknown Number
12. Burkina Faso - Total 5
13. Rwanda - Unknown Number
14. Togo - Unknown Number
15. Niger - Total 6 Units
16. Nigeria - Number Unknown
17. Poland - Total 24 Units 
18. Mali - Number Unknown
19. Kuwait - $370 million deal signed with Baykar Tech 

It was exported to 28 countries in total. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Bayraktar TB2

Is the Bayraktar TB2 engine indigenous? Which country? 

Baykar Defence uses the AI-322F engine co-produced by Ivchenko Progress and Motor Sich for the Bayraktar Akıntı UAV. (Source)

The Bayraktar TB2s once used the Canadian Rotax 912 engine. 

Turkish company TEI's engines will be used for Bayraktar TB2s and other unmanned aerial vehicles. 

What is the price of Bayraktar TB2?

During the Ukraine war, many countries organized a donation campaign, where it was said that a figure of around 5 million dollars was enough to buy 1 Bayraktar TB2.

Does Baykar receive cash support from the state? Has Baykar been granted any privileges?

Haluk Bayraktar: We have never received any support from the state.

How many people work at Baykar?

Baykar Tech employs a total of 3500 people.

How much did Baykar Tech export in 2022?

Baykar Tech exported 1.18 billion dollars in 2022. 

How many companies are there in Turkey that deliver UAVs to the state?

Currently, there are a total of 7 companies delivering UAVs to the state in Turkey.

What should a country do if it wants to buy Tb2 or Akıncı?

First of all, the procedures start after meeting with the state authorities. You cannot sell siha, iha according to your head without the state's approval. Countries that want to buy have to apply to the state with a form. 

What is the dollar value per kilogram of the UAV's exported by Turkey?

The dollar value per kilogram of exports of Bayraktar UAV's is $8000.

How many suppliers does Baykar have?

Baykar has nearly 1000 suppliers.