A new Turkish stealth drone ANKA-3 successfully completed its debut flight, expanding Turkey’s arsenal of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Developed by state-owned Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the ANKA-3 completed its maiden flight in Ankara on December 28, 2023, reaching an altitude of 8,000 feet (2.4 kilometers) and speeds of 150 knots.
During the flight, ANKA-3 Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) was accompanied by a Hürkuş trainer and a light fighter aircraft developed by TAI.
ANKA-3 stealth drone
During its maiden flight, the ANKA-3 flew for about one hour and 10 minutes. The drone is powered by a turbofan engine and has a wingspan of 20 meters.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan hailed the development. In a social media post, he said: “Our unmanned warplane ANKA-3, developed by TAI, completed its first flight today. Hopefully, our aircraft will make a strong contribution to the defense of our country with its advanced technologies, design, and features.”
The stealth combat drone features low-radar visibility, a high-payload capacity and multi-mission capabilities. “We now have a UAV in the sky that the enemy cannot see but can see the enemy,” said Temel Kotil, general manager of TUSAŞ (or TAI).
Capabilities
Turkiye’s new generation UAV system will be capable of performing different missions such as reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence, with air-ground munitions, air-to-air ammunition and radar systems.
It will be able to perform many tasks such as operation and communication relay together with other friendly elements.
Anka-3 is expected to be capable of flying at an altitude of up to 40,000 feet and withstand flight for up to 10 hours at 30,000 feet. It will have a maximum takeoff weight of 6,500 kilograms (14,330 pounds) and a practical payload capacity of 1,200 kilograms (kg).
Key Features of ANKA-3
- Maximum Speed: 0.7 Mach
- Max Altitude: 40,000 ft
- Payload Capacity: 1200 kg
- Flight endurance: 10 hours at 30,000 feet
Weapons-carrying ability
According to the Turkish Aerospace Industries, the ANKA-3 UAV system will be able to carry 650 kg (1,400 pounds) of ammunition at each of the two stations inside the fuselage. The two inner-wing stations will also be able to lift 650 kg while the outer-wing stations will each have a capacity of 100 kg. The drone also has internal weapons bays, which will be necessary to preserve its low-observable features.
Turkish Defense Industry
In recent years, the country has emerged as a dominant force in the industry, with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) at the forefront. The successful flight of the ANKA-3 is a testament to Turkiye’s rapidly growing defense industry capabilities ranging from manufacturing UCAS to fighter jets and warships.
In October this year, the Turkish aerospace and defense tech giant Baykar announced the successful maiden flight of navalized Unmanned Combat Aerial System (UCAS), Bayraktar TB3. The test flight coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic on October 29, 2023.
