Home Air Poland officially confirms purchase of 24 Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey

Poland officially confirms purchase of 24 Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey

Poland Turkey armed drone contract
Photo: Polish MoD

The Polish defense minister signed an official contract for the purchase of Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial systems from Turkey with his Turkish counterpart during a visit to Ankara, on Monday.

The contract was signed in a ceremony attended by high-ranking officials, including Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

According to details provided by the defense ministry, the purchase comprises four sets of unmanned systems with a total of 24 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) armed with anti-tank missiles.

First UAVs are scheduled for delivery to the Polish Armed Forces by the end of 2022. The entire order will be completed by the end of 2024.

The contract also includes the delivery of mobile control stations, SAR radars, simulators and a stock of spare parts. MAM-L and MAM-C laser guided missiles built by Turkey’s Roketsan are also included.

According to Baykar, the drone manufacturer, Poland is the first NATO member to buy the armed drone systems. Current customers include Ukraine, Qatar, Morocco, and Azerbaijan.

Photo: Baykar

According to the Polish defense ministry, one set of the Bayraktar TB2 with six UAVs is worth approximately $67 million.

The contract will provide a 24-month warranty, a training and logistics package, as well as technology transfer agreements.

The Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV (MALE UAV) capable of conducting surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks and combat missions using guided missiles carried on four pylons under the wings. 

The system’s avionics enable fully autonomous taxiing, take-off, flight and landing. The drone is 6.5 meters long and has a span of 12 meters. It achieves a flight duration of up to 27 hours with a maximum take-off weight of 650 kilograms.