Ukraine Tests Turkish Bayraktar TB2 Combat Drones

Ukraine carried out tests of the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 combat drones on Wednesday.

The tests were carried out in western Khmelnytskyi region, overlooked by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

“Today we acquired a completely new modern weapon. The Bayraktar TB2 drones strengthen Ukraine's defensive capabilities amid the ongoing war against Russian-backed separatists in the country's east,” Poroshenko was quoted as saying by Daily Sabah yesterday.

The drones will be handed over to Ukraine’s special operations forces, paratroopers, motorized troops and other military units, the president said.

Ukraine announced the deal for the purchase of Turkish drones in mid January.

The domestically developed drone is the first and only armed UAV to be included in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) inventory. Performing active reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence flights, the Bayraktar TB2 has the ability to transmit images to operation centers without delay and engage targets.

It has a service ceiling of 8,239 meters (27,030 feet) and a flight endurance of 24 hours. It can carry 150 kilograms (330 pounds) of payload and can be operated day and night.