Poland replaces manned patrol mission with TB2 UAVs
A Polish Baykar Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aircraft. (Polish Ministry of National Defence)
Poland has begun operating Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) in Türkiye as part of its continued contribution to NATO's Tailored Assurance Measures for Türkiye (TAM-T), marking the first time a NATO ally has employed an indigenous Turkish-made system operationally in a NATO mission.
Under the TAM-T mission framework, established in 2015 to reinforce regional security around Türkiye's southern borders, Poland deployed a maritime patrol aircraft detachment to Türkiye in April 2021. Operating from İncirlik Air Base in southern Türkiye, the Polish contingent comprised about 80 personnel from the Naval Aviation Brigade in Gdynia, equipped with M28 Bryza patrol and reconnaissance aircraft. Its mission was to monitor maritime activity in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support to NATO's Standing Maritime Groups and Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood, United Kingdom.
Between April 2021 and June 2024, the Polish M28 Bryza aircraft conducted regular operational flights, helping to develop a recognised maritime picture of the region and strengthening allied situational awareness.
In October 2025, the manned patrol aircraft were replaced by Bayraktar TB2 UAVs, which Poland had earlier purchased from Türkiye's Baykar defence company. With the first operational flight taking place on 10 October 2025, the deployment marked a change in NATO's ISR posture.
The TB2s, drawn from Poland's 12th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Base, offer longer endurance, lower operating costs, and enhanced data-sharing capabilities compared with the legacy M28s.
For more information, please seePoland completes receipt of Turkish UAVs .
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