In its war of attrition against Russia, Ukraine has found a powerful ally: the Bayraktar TB2 drone. The device, often considered a “low-cost” combat drone, is wreaking havoc in Russian camps, to the point of making it one of the emblematic weapons of the conflict.
Made in Turkey, the Bayraktar is now enjoying unprecedented success around the world. In an interview with the Ukrainian foundation Come Back Alive, the general manager of the manufacturer Baykar claims to have contracts “for 22 different countries”.
Above all, he specified that the design capacity has been increased to 20 monthly units and that the order book is already complete for the next three years. Better: the company hopes to establish a factory, directly in the Ukraine.
Assembly could begin in late 2023 in the country.
A new model in preparation
Baykar produces two types of drones: the TB2 and the Akinci. Now it is working on a new, more impressive model, called the Kizilema, planned for 2023. According to the Ukrainian Defense Minister, Kyiv has received 50 TB2 drones since the beginning of the war against Russia.
The device was used in particular to divert Russian attention from the two anti-ship missiles that sank the Moskva ship last April.
The TB2 offers an autonomy of more than 20 hours, travels at 250 km/h, flies at an altitude of 6,800 meters and covers a range of 150 km2. It can carry 4 laser-guided missiles. Its “list” price would be around $4 million, but it would sell for half the price in Kyiv. According to Fortune, Ukraine would only pay a million dollars for it, about 10 times less than the American Reaper drone that flew over the Champs-Élysées during the parade on July 14.
Source: BFM TV
