24 Bayraktary TB2 – as of today, the fleet of Turkish drones in the Polish Army has been counting. The 12th Unmanned Air Ship Base held a celebration of the adoption of the last, 4th set of reconnaissance and impactless drones. More than 40 countries usage this weapon, which has been tested in combat.
$270 million contract for transportation to the Polish Army of 4 sets of TB2 Bayraktars (each set is six aircraft) and their ammunition was concluded in May 2021. A year later to Poland the first of the sets. According to the transportation contract, they were to be completed by the end of 2024.
Today in 12 Base of Unmanned Air Ships in Mirosławec there was a celebration of the completion of this contract. Turkish manufacturer, Baykar, gave the Polish Army the fourth, last set. It includes six drones, 3 ground control stations, weapons and spare parts. – These units can service both as combat and reconnaissance units. These may be “eyes” for various types of troops: for air forces, land troops, naval forces, peculiar troops or territorial defence troops," said Paweł Bejda, State Secretary at the Ministry of National Defence. – This equipment increases the combat readiness of the Republic of Poland. Bayraktary worked perfectly in the war in Ukraine and it is good that they were contracted besides in Poland – the Deputy Chief Minister added.
Production: Maciej Bąkowski, Maciej Chilczuk/ ArmouredTV
“TB2 is 1 of the top products of the Turkish arms manufacture and is presently equipped with more than 40 armies worldwide”, said Haluk Görgün, president of the Defence manufacture Agency of Turkey. – They are successfully utilized there to defend territory and people. These platforms are besides used, for example, to detect and fight fires, observe or monitor borders," he added. As he noted, TB2 is besides a evidence player in his class erstwhile it comes to full raid. All Bayraktary utilized together have already spent over 800,000 hours in the air.
With the acquisition of arms, Poland has besides acquired technology for servicing certain unmanned components in the country, e.g. engines, ground control stations and cameras. In the Mirosławska base, adequate infrastructure is being built to carry out these tasks. “The technologies well implemented and utilized by the Polish arms manufacture are the driving wheel of the economy and the implementation of the request that at least 50 percent of the state's funds spent on arms will be invested in the Polish industry,” said the Deputy Chief of the Defence Ministry. He recalled that full defence spending this year will amount to about PLN 158 billion, corresponding to 4% of GDP. – This is simply a immense effort of the Polish taxpayer, so we watch all buck from all side. She must be well spent and must return to the Polish industry," he added.
Deputy Minister Bejda pointed out that the acquisition of Bayraktars is another step towards the creation of a separate structure in the Polish Army, which would deal with the usage of drones on the battlefield. – Unmanned troops are formed in Ukraine, unmanned troops are formed in South Korea. NATO troops see the request for unmanned troops," said the Secretary of State. However, he pointed out that this kind of military was not only flying machines, but besides those that operate on land and in water.
Bayraktar TB2 are MALE-class machines (Medium Altitude - Long Endurance – means average tallness and long flight time). The drones developed in the mediate of last decade weigh up to 650 kg depending on the weapon being taken. They are 6.5 metres long, 2.2 metres advanced and wings with a span of 12 metres. With an engine of about 100 horsepower, they scope about 220 km per hour.
