BAYKAR Bayraktar TB2 İHA / SİHA Sistemleri

Bayraktar TB2 Deliveries Explained: How Many Operators, Which Institutions?

Bayraktar TB2 silahli insansiz hava araci pistte — The Bayraktar TB2 armed UAV on the runway. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC).

Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) armed unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Türkiye’s Baykar. It first flew in 2014 and entered Turkish service the same year, soon becoming the world’s most-exported armed drone. Per Baykar, TB2 is in service with 28+ countries beyond Türkiye, and the global TB2 fleet has logged over one million flight hours. This dossier compiles TB2’s delivery timeline, operators, production figures and technical data from open sources.

TB2’s success is not limited to export figures: low operating cost, rapid deployment and a broad spare-parts network have made it an accessible capability for both large militaries and smaller-budget nations. This reach also gives the Turkish defense industry long-term strategic influence through training, maintenance and munitions-supply relationships that often outlast the initial sale, widening Türkiye’s regional and global footprint.

2014

First flight + in service

28+ countries

Export operators

1M+ hours

Global flight time

~250/year

Production capacity

Contents: Tap each heading to expand or collapse — what TB2 is, operators, first delivery, how many countries, timeline, specifications, engine, munitions, combat record and FAQ.

What is the Bayraktar TB2?

TB2 combines ISR and precision strike in a single armed UAV. Its four hardpoints carry Roketsan smart munitions, and real-time imagery and laser designation let it perform both reconnaissance and attack missions. Relatively low cost, high readiness and combat-proven performance have made it a globally preferred system.

TB2 is the foundational platform of the Bayraktar UAV family; the heavier AKINCI and satellite-controlled TB3 build on this heritage.

Which institutions and countries operate it?

TB2 is in service with nearly all Turkish security institutions and has been exported to 28+ countries, including NATO and EU members.

Operator (Türkiye)	Status
Air Force Command	Active
Army Command	Active
Gendarmerie	Active
National Police (EGM)	Active
National Intelligence (MİT)	Active (cross-border ops)
Coast Guard	Active (maritime surveillance)

Export operator (selection)	Note
Ukraine	Heavy combat use (post-2022)
Azerbaijan	2020 Karabakh campaign
Poland	First NATO-member buyer (2021)
Qatar, Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan	Operational
Kuwait, Croatia, Romania	Recent buyers
Total	28+ countries (Baykar)

When was the first delivery? How is serial production progressing?

TB2 first flew in 2014 and entered Turkish service the same year, becoming operational from 2015–2016. Baykar serially produces TB2 at its Istanbul facilities, with a stated annual capacity of around 250 TB2.

How many countries, how many built?

Per Baykar, TB2 has been exported to 28+ countries, many of them NATO and EU members, and the global fleet has passed one million flight hours. At ~250 units a year, TB2 is the world’s most-exported armed drone.

Bayraktar TB2 Teknofest 2022 sergisinde, muhimmatlariyla — TB2 with its munitions on display at Teknofest 2022. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC).

Latest and upcoming deliveries

Deliveries continue both as follow-on supply to existing operators and first deliveries to new countries. Recently Kuwait and Croatia added TB2 to their inventories, and processes for new buyers such as Bosnia and Herzegovina are advancing. Baykar’s high export-contract figures at defense expos underline continued demand.

Period	Development	Note
2014	Entered service	Turkish military
2019	First major exports	Ukraine, Qatar
2020	Karabakh campaign	Azerbaijan
2021	First NATO-member buyer	Poland
Post-2022	Heavy combat use	Ukraine
2024–2026	New buyers	Kuwait, Croatia, Bosnia

Delivery and milestone timeline

Date	Event	Institution / country	Source
2014	First flight	Baykar	Baykar / Wikipedia
2014	Entered service	Turkish military	Baykar
2015–2016	First armed strike / operational use	Turkish military	Wikipedia
2019	First major export deliveries	Ukraine, Qatar	Baykar
2020	Used in Karabakh campaign	Azerbaijan	Press
2021	First NATO-member buyer	Poland	Baykar
2022–2026	New buyers + 1M+ flight hours	28+ countries	Baykar / Militarnyi

Technical specifications

Feature	Value
Class	MALE armed unmanned aerial vehicle
Wingspan	12 m
Length	6.5 m
Max take-off weight	700 kg
Payload	150 kg (4 hardpoints)
Engine	Rotax 912 (~100 hp, internal combustion)
Engine source	Imported (Austrian) — localization under way
Service ceiling	≈8,200 m (25,000+ ft)
Endurance	up to 27 hours
Comms	Line of sight + SATCOM (TB2S variant)
Munitions	MAM-L / MAM-C / MAM-T, Bozok, L-UMTAS (Roketsan)

Polonya Hava Kuvvetleri Bayraktar TB2, Radom 2023 hava gosterisi — A Polish Air Force TB2 at Radom 2023 — Poland was TB2’s first NATO-member buyer. Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC).

Engine: Rotax 912 and localization

TB2 currently uses the Austrian Rotax 912 internal-combustion engine (~100 hp). Driven by export controls and supply security, Türkiye prioritizes engine localization. TB2’s engine should not be confused with the indigenous PD-170 used on ANKA and TB3, which is a higher-power class.

Munitions, subsystems and manufacturer

The prime contractor is Baykar (Istanbul), which develops the autonomy software, flight control and ground control station.

Munitions: Roketsan MAM-L / MAM-C / MAM-T smart munitions, Bozok guided munition, L-UMTAS laser-guided missile
Payload: ASELSAN CATS electro-optical/thermal camera, laser designator
Autonomy / flight control: Baykar indigenous avionics and ground control station
Manufacturer: Baykar — ~250 TB2 per year

Combat record and why it matters for Türkiye

TB2 has been deployed across many theaters — from cross-border operations in Syria and Iraq to Libya, the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh campaign and post-2022 Ukraine. This combat record has fueled its export success.

TB2 is one of the platforms that most raised the global brand value of the Turkish defense industry. Integrated with indigenous munitions (Roketsan) and mission systems (ASELSAN), it builds a self-reliant ecosystem, while export revenue supports its sustainability. TB2 is a symbol of Türkiye’s strategic leap in unmanned systems.