How Deadly are Turkish Bayraktar TB2 Drones in Ukrainian Hands?

Ukrainian-operated Bayraktar TB2 Turkish drones are back in the news having taken out 2 Russian patrol boats in the Black Sea. While it is passed off as a major victory, it actually proves just how limited the Bayraktar’s capabilities are in a conflict with an opponent fielding superior air defense systems.

Ukrainian Bayraktar drones have been limited to targeting poorly protected logistic convoys, weapon systems in transit, and the occasional military unit operating behind the protection of Russian air defense systems – tempering the near-legendary status the Western media has given it since hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2020.

While the Bayraktar drone is a capable platform, because of Russia’s advantage in air defense, it has been downgraded from a war-winning weapon to a nuisance along the fringes of Russian-controlled territory.

References:

CNN – Ukrainian drone destroys two Russian patrol ships, says defense ministry:
https://youtu.be/btnBwUd3Fjw

DW – How useful are Turkish-made drones fighting in Ukraine?:
https://www.dw.com/en/how-useful-are-…

Al Jazeera – What do we know about Ukraine’s use of Turkish Bayraktar drones?:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3…

Foreign Policy – The U.S. Army Goes to School on Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict:
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/03/30/…

CSIS – Russian Air and Missile Defense:
https://missilethreat.csis.org/system…

ORYX (pro-Western “OSINT”) – List Of Aircraft Losses During The 2022 Russian Invasion Of Ukraine (lists 7 Bayraktar drones as downed by Russia):
https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/03…

Forbes – Russia Has Shot Down A Second TB-2. It’s Too Little, Too Late To Stop Ukraine’s Killer Drones (March 31, 2022):
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe…

The Jamestown Foundation – A Dangerous Drone for All Seasons: Assessing the Ukrainian Military’s Use of the Bayraktar TB-2:
https://jamestown.org/program/a-dange…

Forbes – Ukraine Is Losing Several S-300 Anti-Air Launchers A Week. But It Still Has Hundreds Left.:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe…

South Front – UKRAINIAN BAYRAKTAR STRUCK RUSSIAN BOATS. RESPONSE WAS NOT LONG TO WAIT (VIDEOS):
https://southfront.org/ukrainian-bayr…