1M Flight Hours On, TB2 Now Launches Strike Drones

(MENAFN) Two attack drones released from a Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) struck their targets during a flight test in northwestern Türkiye, Turkish defense firm Baykar said on Wednesday.

The TB2 lifted off from the Kesan Flight Training and Test Center in Edirne province carrying 16 first-person-view (FPV) drones built by Skydagger. It deployed two of them over the test area, Baykar said.

How the test worked
Once the smaller drones were away, the TB2 acted as an airborne communications relay. Operators used that link to guide the FPV drones onto their targets. The FPV drones give operators a pilot’s-eye view through an onboard camera.

The trial expands the strike capabilities of an aircraft that entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2014 and was first armed in 2015.

A proven platform
Beyond reconnaissance and surveillance missions, the TB2 can designate targets with its onboard laser and carry up to four guided munitions, including Roketsan’s MAM-L and MAM-C.

The TB2 fleet passed 1 million flight hours in 2024, a decade after the aircraft entered service, according to Baykar.

Export boom
Baykar said it has signed export agreements with 36 countries for the TB2 and 16 for its Akinci combat drone, covering 39 countries across the two programs. The company’s exports hit a record $2.2 billion in 2025, and overseas sales have made up about 90% of its revenue in recent years.

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