Ukraine May Need Bayraktar TB3 to Counter russian Submarines and Underwater Drones, as It Completes First SAS POD Tests
Defense Express · · 4 min read
Ukraine's interest in the Bayraktar TB3 with the SAS POD signals a shift from land-centric drone warfare toward maritime and anti-submarine roles. If fielded, it would give Kyiv a persistent, relatively low-cost aerial sensor platform against Russian submarines and underwater drones—assets that have largely operated with impunity in the Black Sea. The move also deepens Turkey's role as a defense-industrial partner and could reshape Black Sea naval dynamics, though integration, survivability, and sensor performance remain unproven.
Ukraine's completion of the first SAS POD tests for the Bayraktar TB3 drone is more than a technical milestone; it is a signal that Kyiv is preparing to contest the Black Sea below the surface as fiercely as it has above it. The TB3, a navalized derivative of the combat-proven TB2, has been marketed as a carrier-capable unmanned aircraft, but its potential as an anti-submarine warfare platform has received less attention. The SAS POD—likely a sonobuoy dispenser and processing system—could turn the TB3 into a persistent submarine hunter, a capability Ukraine currently lacks. This development matters because Russia's Black Sea Fleet, though battered by Ukrainian missile and drone strikes, still operates submarines capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles. Moreover, the threat of underwater drones—such as the Russian Poseidon nuclear torpedo or smaller UUVs—adds a new dimension that Ukraine cannot ignore.
The mechanics of airborne anti-submarine warfare are complex. Traditionally, ASW aircraft like the P-8 Poseidon or the now-retired S-3 Viking rely on sonobuoys to detect, localize, and track submarines, then employ torpedoes or depth charges to attack. The SAS POD appears to be a step toward giving the TB3 a similar, if scaled-down, capability. Sonobuoys dropped from the drone would transmit acoustic data to the aircraft, which would process it onboard or relay it to a ground station. The TB3's endurance—reportedly over 24 hours—and its ability to operate from short runways or even amphibious ships make it an attractive option for Ukraine, which has lost most of its conventional naval assets. However, integrating sonobuoys and weapons onto a medium-altitude drone is not trivial. Weight, power, and data-link bandwidth are constraints. The TB3 can carry a payload of around 280 kg, which limits the number of sonobuoys and torpedoes it can carry. Moreover, processing acoustic data in real time requires sophisticated algorithms and computing power, which may not be fully autonomous.
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Ukraine may need anti-submarine aircraft to detect and counter russian submarines. The Bayraktar TB3, equipped with the new SAS POD, could potentially fill this role. Production of the drone may also