The Armed Forces of Albania received new Bayraktar TB2 remote control aircraft. The Turkish drone is intended for surveillance as well as action against targets on the ground.

Yesterday, the representatives of the Albanians and NATO opened the new NATO airbase in the city of Kuchova. In addition to the renewed infrastructure and the speeches of high-ranking guests, the attention of journalists was also attracted by the new military weapons in the arsenal of the Albanian Air Force (Forca Ajrore e Republika së Shqipërisë).

Confirmation that the country has started using TB2 came on the X Network (formerly Twitter) from Haluk Bajraktar, CEO of Bajraktar.

The new Bayraktar TB2 drone performed a flight over the reopened base in Kučova.

Albania signed the contract for the purchase of TB2 aircraft in December 2022. Just three months before the signing of the contract, Prime Minister Edi Rama said that six planes would be ordered, but after the signing of the contract, he said that three drones had been purchased, reports Euronews Albania.

The value of the arrangement has not been disclosed, but Edi Rama announced at the end of 2022 that a "bargain" purchase had been agreed. The agreement with Turkish Bayraktar provides for personnel training as well as logistical support.

Today is a historic day...

Arnavutluk'taki ilk NATO Taktik Hava Üssü açıldı. The opening of Kuçova Hava Üssü, the beginning of a new era for the security of the Balkans and Europe.

Bu törenle birda # BayraktarTB2 SİHA'lar Arnavutluk Ordusu'nun envanterine girdi. Thus Arnavutluk… pic.twitter.com/orCsspo2OF

— Haluk Bayraktar (@haluk) March 4, 2024

Turkish-made Bayraktar drones have become popular worldwide since the Ukrainian army began using them in the war against Russian forces to destroy armored vehicles and artillery systems, as well as earlier in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Bayraktar TB2 belongs to the category of MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drones, that is, in the domestic professional terminology of remotely controlled aircraft. As the name suggests, they can fly for long periods at medium altitudes.

This aircraft is intended for observation, but also for combat operations: in addition to a large number of sensors and cameras, there are also four support points for guided combat vehicles.

Albania, a NATO member since 2009 with no fighter jets of its own, has officially reopened its communist-era air base in Kuçova to serve NATO aircraft amid an increased threat from Russia.

The opening ceremony featured Eurofighter jets, Bayraktar drones & Black Hawk helicopters. pic.twitter.com/wTtj2lPlTv

- Jakub Bielamowicz (@KubaBielamowicz) March 4, 2024

The TB-2 can use two types of lethal means – Turkish-made Rocketsan MAM-L and MAM-C missiles. The MAM-L is used to destroy tanks while the MAM-C is most effective against unarmored vehicles.

In addition to Albania, Turkish aircraft in Europe are or will be used by Ukraine, Poland and Romania, which last year ordered 16 TB2s for $321 million.

Last year, Kosovo boasted about the purchase of TB2, and one such plane was filmed flying over Gjakovica, where they were supposed to be located, as Aero.rs wrote about at the time. In the so far publicly available documents, neither the quantity of delivered aircraft nor whether the package of equipment and support includes weapons, but neither the user, has been specified.