Poland will become the fifth country to arm itself with Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones. Yesterday, on May 23, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak confirmed the signing of the contract with Turkey in an interview with Polish Radio.
The official agreement will be signed during the visit of Polish President Andrzej Duda to Turkey, which begins today. The contract includes 4 sets, including 24 Bayraktar TB2 drones, as well as weapons for them.
Bayraktar TB2 drone
Image source: twitter.com/mblaszczak
Bayraktar TB2 drones entered service with the Turkish army in 2016, and were also purchased by Ukraine, Qatar and Azerbaijan. It is planned that the delivery of Turkish drones to Poland will begin next year.
The Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-range attack UAV designed and manufactured by the Turkish company Baykar. The development of the drone began in 2007, and two years later it made its first flight. In 2014, the developers demonstrated its final version to the Turkish military, and in March 2016, the Bayraktar TB2 was officially adopted by the Turkish army.
Bayraktar TB2 can climb to a height of more than 7300 m and stay in the air for up to 24 hours. The device is able to move away from the control point at a distance of up to 150 km and operate in two modes (remote control or automatic mode, including self-takeoff and landing). The maximum speed of the drone is 250 km / h, the cruising speed is 130 km / h. The length of the drone is 6.5 m, the wingspan is 12 m. The maximum take-off weight of the drone is 650 kg, while the payload is 55 kg. The device is equipped with a variety of cameras and surveillance systems, which allows it to be used for reconnaissance purposes. In addition, the Bayraktar TB2 is capable of carrying adjustable bombs and laser-guided missiles.
