Turkish Aviation and Space Industry (TAI) delivered two upgraded-ANKA unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) to the Turkish Naval Forces Command, the Turkish Presidential Defense Industry (SSB) announced via Twitter.
“We are increasing the lookouts of our security forces in the sky. ANKA’s will continue to increase their duty in defense of the Blue Homeland,” SSB said in the tweet.
With this procurement, the number of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Turkish Navy has exceeded 10.
ANKA UCAV:
The TAI Anka is a family of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces requirements. The basic Anka-A is classified as a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (MALE UAV).
ANKA, advanced Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) class Unmanned Aerial System, performs day and night, all-weather reconnaissance, target detection/identification, and intelligence missions with its EO/IR and SAR payloads, featuring autonomous flight capability including Automatic Take-off and Landing.
It incorporates a heavy-fuel engine and electro-expulsive Ice Protection System with an Advanced Ground Control Station and dual datalink allowing operational security and ease.
The system is expandable with a Transportable Image Exploitation Station, Radio Relay, Remote Video Terminal, and SATCOM.
ANKA UAV has “A”, “B”, “S”, “I”, and “2” models. Turkish Naval Forces had purchased 4 ANKA-Bs before, and the last 2 UAVs were ANKA’s S model.
ANKA Block B is an improved version of the ANKA Block A. The UAV carries an Aselsan synthetic aperture radar/ground moving-target indicator payload in addition to the platform’s electro-optical/infrared sensor. During the maiden flight, ANKA -B successfully performed “basic shakedown” and auto-landing. The ANKA Block B also has a greater payload capacity than that of the ANKA-A, which includes SAR/ISAR/GMTI radar (in addition to the cameras of ANKA A) that obtains and remits high-resolution intelligence data back to base. The ANKA Block B paved the way for the weaponization of the platform in the foreseeable future.
Anka-S is a serial production configuration of ANKA. It is equipped with a SATCOM antenna and a national flight control computer. Like Block A and Block B, Anka-S will be powered by Thielert Centurion 2.0S. On the other hand, Turkish Engine Industries (TEI) has been developing a national engine capable of running with diesel and JP-8 jet fuel.
In August 2018, the Directorate for Defence Industries announced that the Anka-S completed its first live-fire tests. The platform was tested with MAM-L ammunition developed by the Roketsan. In September, the director of Turkey’s defense industry authority shared a picture of the first Anka-S equipped with Aselsan CATS optical system.
Specifications:
General characteristics
- Capacity: 200 kg (441 lb) payload
- Length: 8 m (26 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 17.3 m (56 ft 9 in)
- Height: 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,600 kg (3,527 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Tusaş Engine Industries PD170[1] [56] 4-cylinder liquid-cooled in-line turbo-charged diesel engine, 127 kW (170 hp) . Formerly Thielert Centurion 2.0
- Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 217 km/h (135 mph, 117 kn)
- Cruise speed: 204 km/h (127 mph, 110 kn)
- Range: 1,448 km (900 mi, 782 nmi)
- Combat range: 200 km (120 mi, 110 nmi) datalink range
- Endurance: 24 hours with 200 kg (441 lb) payload
- Service ceiling: 9,144 m (30,000 ft)
Avionics
- ASELFLIR-300T, SAR/GMTI, ISAR payload
- INS/GPS and air data sensor suite system
- Ctech DEV-KU-18 Mobile Satellite Communication Terminal
Armaments
- MAM (Smart Micro Munition)
- Roketsan Cirit
- Tubitak-Sage Bozok Laser Guided Rockets
