The 2020 conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, known as the Nagorno-Karabakh war, resulted in Armenia, boasting a larger and more powerful military equipped with Russian-made T72 Tanks, along with missiles and rockets, being decisively defeated by the significantly smaller Azerbaijani forces, largely owing to the use of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and Israeli Kamikaze drones.
Bayraktar translates to the bearer of the flag.
Amid strained relations with India, sources informed India Today TV that Bangladesh has stationed the Bayraktar TB2 drones at the Indo-Bangla border.
The Bangladesh Army utilizes these drones for missions involving intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Although Bangladesh has asserted that the deployment is meant for defensive reasons, India has not ignored the strategic importance of placing such advanced drones in a sensitive area.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has heightened its monitoring following reports of Turkish drone deployment.
Sources informed India Today TV that the Indian armed forces can deploy drones such as the Heron TP and enhance counter-drone measures in delicate areas.
Features of Bayraktar TB2 drones
Created in Turkey, Bayraktar TB2 drones weigh roughly one-eighth of a US MQ-9 Reaper and can reach a top speed of approximately 230 km/h.
These drones are capable of annihilating contemporary tanks using their MAM (Turkish for Smart Micro Munition) laser-guided missiles. TB2 drones are capable of transporting as many as four of these MAMs in a single flight.
The Bayraktar TB2 drone has the capability to carry a maximum load of 150kg.
The typical payload setup comprises an electro-optical camera module, an infrared camera module, a laser designator, a laser rangefinder, and a laser pointer.
TB2 drones, with a flight duration exceeding 24 hours and an operational range of almost 300 kilometres, are capable of delving deep into enemy territory to eliminate targets.
Furthermore, several of these drones produce an unsettling noise while nearing their targets, which may be mentally distressing.
The Bayraktar TB2 showcased its potential to shift the dynamics of warfare during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
In October 2022, a team of Pakistan Air Force officers also participated in an extensive training programme in Turkey, including the Akinci training programme conducted at Baykar Defence’s facilities.
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The Challenges Ahead..
The positioning of Bayraktar TB2 drones along the India-Bangladesh border might pose a challenge because India has its longest border with Bangladesh. The terrain of the border, which runs through mountains, swollen rivers, and thick forests, complicates Indian forces’ ability to track them due to their small size and minimal noise.
Bangladesh isn’t the only user of Bayraktar TB2 drones in the Indian subcontinent.
In 2023, Pakistan obtained its initial set of Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey and positioned them in key areas.
Besides the Bayraktar TB2 drones, satellite imagery revealed the presence of sophisticated drones such as the WZ-7 ‘Soaring Dragon’ at the Bangda airbase in the Himalayan area.
