| Aksungur | |
|---|---|
.jpg) TAI Aksungur at the 2019International Defence Industry Fair inIstanbul, Turkey. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Unmanned combat aerial vehicle |
| National origin | Turkey |
| Manufacturer | Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) |
| Status | In service |
| Primary user | Turkish Armed Forces |
| Number built | 12 (as of March 2023)[1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 2019-present |
| Introduction date | 20 October 2021[2] |
| First flight | 20 March 2019[3] |
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TheTAI Aksungur (previously known as Anka-2)[4] is anunmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) built byTurkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for theTurkish Armed Forces.[3][5][6][7] Using existing technology from theTAI Anka series of drones, it is the manufacturer's largest drone[8] with payload capacity for mission-specific equipment. It is intended to be used for long-termintelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR),electronic warfare (EW),signals intelligence (SIGINT),maritime patrol anddrone strike missions.[9] TAI planned to integrate weapon packages and put the Aksungur into production in early 2020. The first unit was delivered to theTurkish Naval Forces on 20 October 2021.[2] The aircraft used common avionics architecture and ground segment withTAI Anka andTAI Anka-3. The aircraft is capable of conducting autonomous operations including automatic take-off and landing.[9]
Aksungur,Turkish forgyrfalcon,[6] is classified as amedium-altitude long-endurance (MALE)unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). It is designed and manufactured byTurkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for tacticalsurveillance andreconnaissance missions of theTurkish Armed Forces.[7] The Aksungur has twinturbocharged engines with atwin boom configuration.[3]
Developing the UAV took 18 months.[5][6] The airframe, wing and landing gear are new designs, while control systems are from the existingTAI Anka family of drones.[8][10] A newturbodiesel engine is also in development for the programme, with initial flight tests of the airframe using an existing engine.[11] Two prototypes were manufactured for testing purposes. Itsmaiden flight, displayingautomatictakeoff andlanding capabilities, took place on 20 March 2019, and lasted four hours and twenty minutes.[5][6] Reportedly, a second test flight of three hours was performed on 3 April the same year.[3] It was introduced at the 2019International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) inIstanbul, Turkey, on 30 April.[5][6]CNN Türk reported ongoing flight tests in July 2019,[12] with the manufacturer anticipating a total of 50 to 60 tests by the end of the year.[10] The UAV is planned to go into series production by the first quarter of 2020.[3]
The aircraft is 12 m (39 ft) long and 3 m (9.8 ft) high when resting on itslanding gear. The high-mounted wings have a slightdihedral angle and awingspan of 24 m (79 ft).[3] The wings end with smallwinglets. The centralized fuselage is under the wings and houses avionics, camera and sensors systems, with a chin-mounted camera blister. Fuel is stored in the fuselage[13] and wings. A turbocharged engine is mounted under each wing, with the engine nacelles each extending backward into a tail boom. These tail booms terminate in verticalstabilizers, with a horizontaltailplane joining them.[3] The tricycle landing gear retracts into the engine nacelles and the nose of the aircraft while in flight.[13]
The aircraft is powered by two forward-mountedTEI-PD170 dual-turbocharged diesel engines developed byTusaş Engine Industries (TEI), equipped with three-bladed propellers in a tractor (puller) configuration.[3] According to the manufacturer, these enable the Aksungur to cruise at a maximum speed of 180 km/h (110 mph) and carry a maximum payload of 750 kg (1,650 lb)[5][6] to an altitude of 25,000 ft (7,600 m), or ascend to 35,000 ft (11,000 m) with a 150 kg (330 lb) payload. The aircraft's designed maximum payload is 375% greater than that of its predecessor;[5] itsmaximum takeoff weight is 3,300 kg (7,300 lb). It is rated to stay aloft 12 hours as anattack aircraft ormaritime patrol aircraft and 24 hours duringsignals intelligence missions.[7]
Remote control of the UAV is performed byDO-178B compatible software onDO-254 compatible ground control station and hardware using double backed-up encrypted digitaldata link. Optional beyond-visual-range operation flexibility is available viacommunications satellite.[7]
TAI expects to integrate weapon systems typical ofF-4 andF-16 fighter aircraft[10] onto Aksungur in the last quarter of 2019.[14]Threehardpoints are situated under each wing for attaching external payloads, such as munitions or sonar buoys.[3][8] These hardpoints are rated for loads of 150, 300 and 500 kg (330, 660 and 1,100 lb). Proposed armaments include TEBER-81 (laser-guided bombMk-81), TEBER-82 (laser-guided bombMk-82), LUMTAS, MAM-L,Roketsan Cirit, MAM-C,HGK-3 (precision-guided munition), KGK (82) (winged guided kit), and miniature bomb.[7]
In October 2022, Turkey deployed Aksungur drones in the Aegean Sea to placeSonobuoy in order to find Greek submarines.[15]
In November 2023, a Turkish Navy Aksungur, serial TCB883, crashed in North Iraq.[16][17]
In May 2024, a Turkish Army Aksungur was shot down by PKK atQandil Mountains region ofIraq during ananti-terror operation of the Army.[18]
In August 2024, another Aksungur drone was shot down byIraqi ArmyPantsir Air Defence system in Kirkuk.[19][20]
Chadian Air Force released footage of its Aksungur fleet in April 2024.[24]
Data fromTurkish Aerospace Industries,[9]Jane's Information Group,[3] Defence Turkey[28] and Military Factory[29]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Avionics
Other UCAVs of Turkey
