Poland will purchase 24 Bayraktar TB2 (Tactical Block 2) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from NATO ally Turkey. The combat drones will be armed with anti-tank projectiles. Poland will also buy a logistics and training package along with the aircraft. First shipments will arrive in 2022. The contract for the drones is expected to be signed during a visit by Polish President Andrzej Duda to Turkey on Monday and Tuesday. This is the first time a NATO member will acquire Turkish drones. The drones have assault capabilities and have “proven themselves in wars in Nagorno-Karabakh war.
Polish President Andrzej Duda is set to arrive upon invitation by President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan. The leaders and their delegations will discuss bilateral relations as well as steps to be taken to further improve cooperation, a statement by the Presidential Communications Directorate said Sunday. During the talks, the two sides will exchange views on current, regional and international developments, and are also envisaged to sign agreements that will strengthen the foundation of bilateral ties, the statement added.
The Bayraktar TB2 is a Turkish medium altitude long endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It is manufactured by Turkey′s Baykar company primarily for the Turkish Armed Forces. The aircraft is monitored and controlled by an aircrew in the Ground Control Station, including weapons employment, via Türksat satellite. Bayraktar means “ensign” or “standard-bearer” in Turkish. The development of the UAV has been largely credited to Selçuk Bayraktar, a former MIT graduate student.
Baykar started to develop a new combat tactical aerial vehicle system on request of Presidency of Defense Industries, after the experiences of its first tactical UAV Bayraktar Çaldıran[page needed] delivered to the Turkish army in 2011. The Bayraktar TB2 conducted its maiden flight in August 2014. On 18 December 2015, a video was published for the missile test of Bayraktar TB2 as collaboration result with Roketsan. Roketsan’s MAM (Smart Micro Munition)’s and TUBITAK-SAGE BOZOK Laser-guided bombs tested for the first time.
