Photo: BIROL BEBEK / AFP / Getty Images
Unmanned aerial vehicles have become an important part of the air force of any country
and in the case of Ukraine it has been demonstrated very clearly thanks to the Bayraktar TB2. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, these devices have been responsible for a large part of the casualties caused to the Russian army.
Despite being significantly more slow and have a lower payload capacity, the Bayraktar TB2 have carried out dozens of successful attacks in recent weeks
.
Ken Dilanian, national security correspondent for NBC News, comments that despite all this, Bayraktar TB2 has been one of the most effective attack mechanisms of the Ukrainian forces.
“Like the MQ-9 Reaper drones, manufactured by the United States, the Ukrainian drones are capable of flying over a target and launch devastatingly accurate missile strikes against Russian tanks and armored vehicles,” he says.
A sample of performance differences can be clearly seen by observing ar the technical specifications of the aircraft. This is capable of flying at a maximum speed of 137 miles per hour, less than half the performance of an MQ-9 Reaper. The United States Air Force’s flagship drone is capable of top speeds of up to 300 miles per hour.
One point in favor of the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 is that they are significantly cheaper than the models used by other countries, which can cost up to two or three times more per unit.
Something that has surprised experts is the fact that these drones have been able to effectively and repeatedly attack Russian anti-aircraft military units, something that was thought impossible. The reason is that these units are designed to shoot down this type of aircraft, however, this does not seem to be happening.
David Hambling, a drone expert from the United Kingdom, adds that in terms of aerial performance this device is comparable to a World War I plane .
“It’s quite amazing to see all these videos of Bayraktars seemingly destroying Russian surface-to-air missile batteries, which are exactly the type of system that is equipped to shoot them down,” Hambling notes.
The expert considers that there are two possible responses to the unprecedented success of the Bayraktar TB2. The first could be linked to a monumental incompetence of the Russian troops, while the other alternative is that Ukrainian forces are using deceptive tactics to prevent their drones from being shot down.
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