TB2 Strikes Again Off the Coast of Snake Island – Overnight, satellite images from a missile strike against Russian forces on Snake Island have emerged. While 1945 cannot independently verify the authenticity of the images, they appear to show the deadly results of another Baykar Bayraktar TB2 drone strike. NBC News reporter Bianca Britton posted the photos to her Twitter feed. “Images from May 12 appear to show missile attacks on Russian Serna-class landing craft near the island, smoke contrails & a sunken ship,” Britton wrote. The missile strikes are likely the latest of several incidents involving the TB2 drone during the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
TB2 Proves Its Worth
Turkish firm Baykar Bayraktar, under the guidance of founder and MIT graduate Selcuk Bayraktar, developed the weapon, which first flew in 2014. TB2 development began when the US banned the export of UCAV technology to Turkey – for fear that the Turkish would share the tech with the PKK guerillas – So rather than rely on the Americans, Turkey decided to develop their own, homegrown drone. The TB2, an ultra-cheap yet reliable model, results from those efforts.
The TB2 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), with a 21-foot-long, blended wing body and an inverted V-tail structure. The TB-2, with its 39 foot wingspan, relies on a variable pitch, two-blade propeller in pusher configuration to develop thrust. The prop sits in the rear of the airframe, between the two tail booms. A 100 horsepower Rotax 912 internal combustion engine powers the prop.. The fuselage is constructed, primarily, of carbon fiber composite. Internal bladder tanks hold the craft’s 79 gallons of fuel. The TB-2 has a cruising speed of 70 knots, a maximum speed of 120 knots, and a respectable range of up to 4,000 kilometers. The drone can operate for 27 consecutive hours. The drone’s service ceiling is 25,000 feet, but the ideal operational altitude is 18,000 feet.
The TB2 carries its capable armament externally, like all drones. Using four L3Harris Hornet bomb racks, the TB2 can carry various combinations of munitions, including: MAM guided bombs, L-UMTAS anti-tank missiles, Roketsan Cirit 70mm missiles, TUBITAK-SAGE BOZOK Laser Guided Rockets, TUBITAK-SAGE TOGAN GPS guided 81 milimeter mortars – all of which have been used effectively to complicate Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine purchased 12 TB2s from Turkey in 2019. Impressed with the drone’s initial performance, Ukraine ordered 6 more in 2021, and entered an agreement with Turkey to jointly develop 48 more. Now, with the Ukraine-Russia conflict in full swing, the TB2 enjoys regular action. Yesterday, for example, a drone sank that Serna-class landing craft off the coast of Snake Island. And on May 7th, a TB2 destroyed a Russian Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter, as passengers unloaded onto Snake Island. On May 2, TB2s destroyed two Russian Raptor-class patrol boats – again, near Snake Island. And TB2s were reportedly used as decoys during the remarkable sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva.
TB2 drone of Turkish drone-maker Baykar is seen at a stand during the first day of SAHA EXPO Defence & Aerospace Exhibition in Istanbul, Turkey, November 10, 2021. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo
A view shows fire on Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, Ukraine, in this screengrab taken from a drone video obtained by Reuters on May 8, 2022. Ukrainian Ground Forces/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT
TB2 Drone. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Bayraktar TB2 Drone of the Ukrainian Air Force.
TB2 Not Perfect
Yet, despite the UAVs successes, there have been drawbacks. The TB2 is slow, stealthless, and defenseless. Operating at just 18,000 feet altitude, the drone is easily targetable. Not surprisingly, seven TB-2 drones have already been shot down during the conflict. The most recent TB2 casualty was on May 1st, in the Kursk region. On April 26th and 27th, three more TB2 drones were destroyed, in Kursk Oblast and Belgorod Oblast.
Regardless, the affordably priced drone has become a vaunted and celebrated asset to the Ukrainian resistance. The chief of Ukraine’s Air Force, Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchu called the TB2 “life-giving.” And most notably, the TB2 now has its own song, “Bayraktar,” written to celebrate the drone’s popularity.
Lots of satellite imagery out overnight from Ukraine. Let’s start with Snake Island—the small but strategic island in the Black Sea: Images from May 12 appear to show missile attacks on a Russian Serna-class landing craft near the island, smoke contrails & a sunken ship. ?@Maxar pic.twitter.com/UNPX5JPJxn
— Bianca Britton (@biancabritton) May 13, 2022
Expect the TB2 to remain an integral part of Ukraine’s defensive efforts.
Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense Editor at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison has degrees from Lake Forest College, the University of Oregon School of Law, and New York University’s Graduate School of Arts & Science. He lives in Oregon and regularly listens to Dokken.
Tom
May 13, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Where’s Boris and the rest of the Russian trolls? Guess they don’t want to face reality.
Jesus
May 13, 2022 at 2:17 pm
Great article.. well presented and has substance.. hope usa learns from UKRAINE drones ! Expensive is not always the best criterion for most effective weapon !
Jim
May 18, 2022 at 7:44 pm
Hard to believe that the orange ? withheld weapons from Ukraine. Total turd.
Tsenal
May 13, 2022 at 4:49 pm
You said the US didn’t provide drones to Turkey because they feared Turkey would share it with PKK. You should look into who PKK is at war with. ?
Tj
May 13, 2022 at 8:55 pm
I was just about to say the same
Share technology….
Your article needs more verification of this type of detail
Good luck with that
Emre
May 14, 2022 at 3:30 am
“TB2 development began when the US banned the export of UCAV technology to Turkey – for fear that the Turkish would share the tech with the PKK guerillas” is a very big MISSTATEMENT. PKK is a terrorist organisation, recognized by the US and Turkey. So why would Turkey ever share the tech with PKK terrorists. The mağn goal is to fight them, not share technology.
TriLife
May 14, 2022 at 1:25 pm
Indeed, PKK is one of many Archenemies of the Turkish State (not their people). It’s more likely that the US declined the sale of UAVs the Turkey, for fear they would use it on the Kurds, claiming they are terrorists
Toronto Politics
May 15, 2022 at 1:55 pm
PKK / YPG are terrorist organizations, established by Russia, within Syria, and they mostly attack Turkey. They are Marxist/Maoist, like Red Khmers.
PKK / YPG kills, bombs, burns civilians (schools, teachers included) and civilian infrastructure (roads, factories,..)
Today, Essad regime, Russia and PKK/YPG own and operate Syria together, after US handed over control to them.
You should ask Obama why he wanted to protect Russian puppets by denying UAVs to Türkiye.
Alex
May 15, 2022 at 11:09 am
A demobilized French soldier, author of the book “Get up and go thanks to science” Adrien Boke went to Ukraine on a humanitarian mission and spent three weeks there.
Upon his return, he decided to convey to the French information about the events he had witnessed in Ukraine.
“I take full responsibility for what I say. While in Ukraine, I witnessed war crimes. All of them were committed by the Ukrainian army. But in France we don’t talk about it!
When I returned to France from Ukraine, I was shocked: TV channels invite as experts people who have not been to Ukraine and do not know anything about what is happening there now. However, they dare to speculate about these events. Between what I hear from the TV screen and what I saw with my own eyes is an abyss.
Azov fighters are everywhere. With neo-Nazi stripes. It shocks me that Europe is supplying weapons to neo-Nazis. Not only do they not hide their views. They advertise them. I worked with these people and treated them.
Being there, there was nothing I could do. Just watch and make videos. I have this footage and will use it as evidence of Ukraine’s crimes.
I witnessed how the Ukrainian military shot through the knees of captured Russian soldiers and shot in the head higher-ranking officers.
I have personally seen American videographers making fake footage from the scene of the events staging.
All destroyed civilian buildings, given out by Ukraine for bombardment of civilians, are nothing more than the result of inaccurate shooting by Ukrainians at military facilities.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine hide ammunition in residential buildings at night, without even informing the residents. This is called using people as a shield, ”Boke quotes one of the French media.
The Washington Post recently drew attention to the fact that Ukrainian troops are placing military equipment in residential areas of cities in an attempt to counter the Russian Armed Forces, which threatens the lives of civilians.
Boke also spoke about the untruthfulness of Western media reports about the events in Bucha.
“Bucha is a staging. The bodies of the dead were moved from other places and deliberately placed in such a way as to produce shocking footage, ”the French author noted.
The documents confirming this were submitted to the Federal Security Service – how, who – there are relevant intercepts – on what transport he came to this settlement and created the conditions for organizing this provocation.
Soon all the collected evidence about the crimes of the Nazis in Ukraine will be seen by the whole world. And the most important thing is the help of Western countries to the Nazis of Ukraine and assistance in their crimes.
DS
May 16, 2022 at 7:11 am
Russian troll is so evident
DW
May 18, 2022 at 5:15 pm
Ok Boris!
mehmet aslanak
May 16, 2022 at 9:00 am
“for fear that the Turkish would share the tech with the PKK guerillas” —> It should be corrected as;
“for fear that the Turkish would share the tech with the ISIS guerillas”
Erdogan, known as “Erdolf” among Germans, is a convicted jihadist & sent a lot of weapons to ISIS.
The journalist Can Dundar, who documented those weapon transfers, are now a fugitive in Germany.
Matt
May 19, 2022 at 1:12 am
Wow the level of Ignorance here Is Amazing. Everything Alex said Is 100% true. Ukraine is a cesspool, run by people Like George Sorros, Klaus Schwab, even Hunter Biden pelosi’s son, Mitch McConnel and his family, Lyndsey Grahm and his family as well as countless other RED AND BLUE politician’s. People need to drop the prayers and tears for ukraine and actually do some MF research. Its all there. This goes back years. In the 1950s The united states c|A started coups In over 15 Country’s!! Iran, Cuba, brazil, Cambodia, Argentina, Guatemala, Congo, and many more! This was exposed In the 70’s-80’s After being exposed they started farming this work out to NGO’s, like George Sorros “The Renaissance Foundation” and countless others. Most Ngo’s actually do good humanitarian work, some do opposite. The C|a also protected Ukrainian Nazis fleeing prosecution In the 1950s. Men like Stephen Bandaro and others responsible for genocide. There are nazis there in Ukraine today,they don’t hide it, and there still supported and funded by western Nations Including the US. Ill try and “Edumucate” the autistic people here but you cant fix stupid and you cant make people see the forest through the MF trees. Ukraine has over 4 million Ethnic Russians living there, and surrounding areas of Donbass, Donetsk and Lugansk and Russian language is spoken by over 87% of the population of Ukraine. These people had a referendum and over 92% voted to be under the control of Russia. They voted on a leader, A leader that was Russian Backed. This was not what the west wanted. Back before the 2013-2014 riots In Kiev, 5 billion U.S. dollars From George Sorros’s NGO and Chevron, were brought Into Ukraine. This was setup By U.S. secretary of foreign relations Victoria Nuland, U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Jeffrey Pryatt and Governor of Kiev, Klitszko the former boxer. Other U.s. political figures were also Involved like John McShitStain. You can actually hear leaked audio of Victoria Nuland and easily tell Its her from previous audio/video of her, and shes telling Jeffrey Pryatt that there going to use Klitzko as the fall boy and saying all this stuff and Jeffrey pryatt states that shes violating the European Union, to which her reply was “F%ck the EU!” There’s also audio of her telling some other Figure, Precisely how many would have to die In the riots to overthrow the current Russian backed Leader Of Ukraine, to which she stated 100. They setup “Tech Camp Kiev” to train journalist on how to make viral videos, get traction, get a following, set them up with the best cameras and gear. They started 3 media organizations, one month before the riots started, Spilno Tv, Espresso Tv and Thromadske Tv. They ran tv and radio ads fanning the fire. Then countless journalist’s that ultimately started gaining a huge following, encouraged and urged people to come to kiev with weapons to start violence. They encouraged It. Then Our U.S. Secretary of foreign relations Victoria Nuland and U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Jeffrey Pryatt and other key figures actually went around the center of Kiev during the riots, handing out doughnuts and bagels, while John McCain did a speech, urging people to stay put and make there voice heard, cause a scene, stirr up commotion and never give up. You can go see pics, and video and audio of there meetings, phone calls, and them In kiev during the riots. When $hit hit the fan as planned, there was over 90 people dead. They blamed the Russian Backed Ukrainian leader and then Illegally Impeached him. Theres 328 seats In Ukrainian Parliament, over 200 didnt vote because they knew It was not right, Yet He was Still Impeached and overthrown and thats when a puppet was put into power that appeases western powers.
Matt
May 19, 2022 at 1:44 am
Thanks Alex for not being so daft like the countless other droolers on here that take everything they see and read from Mainstream Media Organizations that are owned by Elitist’s and Globalists. Ukraine is a cesspool with more corruption than the 3rd world African Country of Tanzania. Actual Nazis, that don a modifed swatika, SS, And even the German ww2 2nd panzer division Insignias, emblems and flags. They do lighted torch parades at night (ring a bell) with Pictures of Stephen Bandaro, The Ukrainian Nazi That committed genocide killing hundreds of thousands of poles, jews, Russians during WW2 and the U.S. C|a protected him amd others for years. Theres over 20 National Socialist Groups In Ukraine and they all come from the western areas of Ukraine. These Nazis and western power backed slime bags have been committing Human rights violations, genocide and killings for 8 years In Donbass, Donetsk, And Lugansk. God Bless Putin amd Russia for liberating these Areas and recognizing Donestk as there own Independent Land. Theres over 4 million Ethnic Russians that live In Ukraine and Surrounding Areas, that have faced oppression from this “Russophobia” for 8 years. WATCH INDEPENDENT JORNALIST’S. Robert Lancaster Is a good one, exposing the lies and the propaganda. People were dancing in the street with tears of joy that Putins Army was coming to Liberate them! Kinda strange Hunter Biden was just made VP of Ukrainian “Burisma” Energy even though he knows nothing of Oil or energy except the energy he gets when hes zooted from doing a fat line. Russia has been the Leading supplier of energy for Europe. Germany Alone gets over 75% of Its energy From Russia. So if you had Countless Globalist and Elitist scum that had Billions and Billions of Dollars, Tied up In Ukrainian Energy company’s and Russia Is the Leading Supplier, wouldnt that be EXTREMELY beneficial If Russia was no longer the Leading energy supplier of Europe and your corrupt cesspool country of Ukraine, that you and all your buddy’s and the other American Politicians, and there buddys and kids and family that put all your money in, was now the leading supplier of Energy for Europe. This Included Chevron Backing key figures and contributing to the 5 billion US dollars that was used to successfully overthrow the Ukrainian government In 2014 and Illegally Impeach Its rightfully elected, Russian Backed Leader. Watch Ukraine On fire or Revealing Ukraine By Oliver Stone, Then Fact check it and Its all verifiable and right there clear as MF day