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Turkey Baykar
Bayraktar TB2
A medium-altitude long-endurance armed reconnaissance drone that became globally famous after combat use in Nagorno-Karabakh, Libya and Ukraine. It combines a low unit cost with precision-guided munitions, reshaping expectations of what a low-cost UAV can achieve on the battlefield.
In service since 2014 · 30 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
222
km/h
150
km range
8,230
m ceiling
150
kg payload
💲 ≈ $5,000,000 — Publicly cited export system unit price estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Türkiye export-licensed
SSB-administered; growing export programme, some Western sub-component dependencies.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 30 operators
In service since 2014. Status: active · ~500 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$13M – $18M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
Few weapons have changed their market as thoroughly as the Bayraktar TB2. Baykar's medium-altitude, long-endurance drone pairs a modest piston engine and a 24-hour loiter with four laser-guided MAM micro-munitions, at an export price far below Western MALE drones. Its combat record — Syria, Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh and the opening months of the Ukraine war — turned it into both a military tool and a geopolitical export phenomenon, now flying with more than 30 countries.
The TB2's real lesson is doctrinal: against forces without layered short-range air defense, a cheap persistent striker can destroy armor, artillery and even air-defense systems with near impunity; against a prepared opponent it is forced into scouting and target-designation roles. Baykar has kept the airframe current with a domestically built TM100 engine and follow-on types — the jet-powered Kızılelma and the heavier Akıncı — extending the family up the capability ladder.
During the renewed drone campaigns of 2025-26, TB2s and their successors have remained central to how mid-sized militaries think about affordable airpower.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 222 km/h Stronger than 53% of UAVs
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 130 km/h Stronger than 39% of UAVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 150 km Stronger than 34% of UAVs
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 8,230 m Stronger than 57% of UAVs
- Endurance
Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms — higher means longer persistent coverage.
- 27 h Stronger than 80% of UAVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 4 Stronger than 43% of UAVs
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 150 kg Stronger than 28% of UAVs
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 6.5 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 12 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 450 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 700 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 0
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Rotax 912 piston engine
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Piston, pusher propeller
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- CATS electro-optical/infrared/laser designator turret
- Datalink
Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.
- LOS datalink, SATCOM (extended-range variants)
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $5,000,000 Stronger than 50% of UAVs
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 500 Stronger than 68% of UAVs
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 30 Top 1% of UAVs
Specifications compiled from public Baykar and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Baykar Bayraktar TB2? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 has a maximum speed of 222 km/h.
What is the range of the Baykar Bayraktar TB2? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 has a maximum range of 150 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Baykar Bayraktar TB2? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 can carry up to 150 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 weigh? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 has a combat weight of 700 kg.
How many crew does the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 require? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 requires a crew of 0.
What engine does the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 use? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 is powered by the Rotax 912 piston engine.
What is the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 used for? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 is a uav / drone typically used for isr, close air support.
How many countries operate the Baykar Bayraktar TB2? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 is operated by 30 countries.
How much does the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 cost? +
The Baykar Bayraktar TB2 has an approximate unit cost of 5,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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