On January 29, a video documenting the downing of a Ukrainian Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drone by Russian air defenses surfaced online.
The video, which shows the Bayraktar TB2 being hit by the shrapnel of an unidentified anti-aircraft missile, was taken by the drone’s own tail cam. It was either intercepted by electronic warfare means, or recovered by specialists from the wreckage of the drone.
The Bayraktar TB2 has an endurance of up to 24 hours and an operational range of less than 300 kilometers. The drone’s main armament is the laser-guided MAM-C and MAM-L munitions made by Turkey’s Roketsan.
Ukraine purchased dozens of Bayraktar TB2s from the Turkish manufacturer, Baykar, over the last few years. More drones were delivered to Kiev after the beginning of the Russian special military operation last year. The most recent batch, which consisted of two drones, was reportedly delivered to Kiev forces earlier this month.
The Bayraktar TB2 failed to perform well in Ukraine. Most of the country’s drones have already been shot down by Russian air defenses.
The relatively large size, low speed and poor maneuverability of Bayraktar TB2 drones made them easy targets for Russian short and medium-range air defense systems like the Pantsir-S1, the Tor-M2 and the Buk-M3. Electronic warfare systems were also used to jam and disrupt the drone’s communication links.
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