New Turkish Kemankes loitering munition begins testing
The Kemankes 2 will be expected to be able to travel more than 200km. (Photo: Baykar video screengrab)
The Kemankes 2 was said to be designed to conduct deep-strike missions on high-priority targets.
Turkish drone maker Baykar has begun testing its new jet-powered Kemankes 2 loitering munition. The news came less than a year after the Kemankes was test-fired from a TB2 UAV.
The new version was said to be AI-powered and the recent test was conducted with a launch from speed pickup.
Specific capabilities and details of the Kemankes 2 were not revealed, but a video (see below) released by the manufacturer provided a glimpse of its features. The new cruise missile loitering munition appeared to be significantly larger than its predecessor, the Kemankes, which weighed 30 kg with a capacity for 6kg warheads.
Parts of the missile, including the wing, the engine and the tail fins, closely resembled the KaGeM-V3 which was jointly developed with Pakistan.
Equipped with an unknown jet engine enabling rapid travel and boasting a one-hour flight duration, the Kemankes 2 was designed to conduct deep-strike missions on high-priority targets. Baykar has claimed it has a range of more than 200km.
While the first Kemankes has been designed to be air-launched from Baykar UAVs such as the Akinci, Bayraktar TB2 and Bayraktar TB3, it was not clear what launch options the Kemankes 2 would feature once fully developed.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Sikorsky signs $313 million maintenance contract for Australian Navy MH-60Rs]()
Sikorsky signs $313 million maintenance contract for Australian Navy MH-60Rs
The extension of its partnership with the Royal Australian Navy comes as the latter is increasing its fleet size, anticipating 12 further aircraft to be delivered by 2036.
-
![MBDA’s Meteor completes first F-35B test flight]()
MBDA’s Meteor completes first F-35B test flight
The US Marine Corps’ aircraft conducted the first test flight of the missile from Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
-
![First German P-8 flies and upgrade of first aircraft for USN completed]()
First German P-8 flies and upgrade of first aircraft for USN completed
The P-8 Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) is based on the Boeing 737NG airliner. It has been ordered by several countries, including Germany, and US Navy (USN) P-8s are being upgraded.
-
![Spain acquires Skydio’s X10D in €18 million deal]()
Spain acquires Skydio’s X10D in €18 million deal
Skydio has been contracted by Spain’s Ministry of Defence to supply the Skydio 10D rotary-wing UAV to the Spanish Armed Forces. The contact is likely related to the Spanish Army’s modernisation efforts which has been enshrined in the Fuerza 35 project.
