Two Bayraktar TB2 Combat Drones Launched for Maldives

Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu recently launched Bayraktar TB2 drones acquired for the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) to surveil the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The drones, two ‘Bayraktar TB2’ models acquired under a Turkish government agreement, were unveiled during a ceremony at N. Maafaru airport on March 15. With dimensions of 6.5 meters in length and a 12-meter wingspan, each drone weighs approximately 700 kilograms. They boast a communication range of up to 300 kilometers and a payload capacity of 150 kilograms.

The drones can fly for 27 hours at speeds ranging from 70 to 120 knots, with an operational maximum altitude of 18,000 to 25,000 feet. Operated by a specialized MNDF team, these drones are capable of conducting intelligence surveillance operations and surgical precision strikes.

Photos of the drones which arrived at the Maafaru International Airport in an IL-76 aircraft on March 3 were published on social media. Local media had reported that $37 million was allocated from the state’s contingency budget to purchase Bayraktar drones.