Turkish Navy receives the first domestically produced Aksungur UAV
ANKA-AKSUNGUR is powered by two PD-170 twin-turbocharged diesel engines enabling long endurance operations up to 40,000ft. (Photo: Turkish Aerospace Industries)
Turkish Navy has received its first Aksungur UAV, which achieved an important milestone in August when it reached 1,000 flight hours.
The Turkish Navy received the first domestically produced MALE UAV, Aksungur, on 20 October.
The UAV is the latest combat drone from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). It can fly for 50h, carry up to 750kg of payload and is capable of long-endurance operations at an altitude of up to 40,000ft.
Aksungur can perform uninterrupted multi-role intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and attack missions with its high payload capacity and provide BLoS operational flexibility with its SATCOM payload.
The platform’s maiden flight was completed in Match 2019 and it was first publicly revealed at IDEF 2019 in Istanbul.
TAI funded the development of UAV alone, with the expectation to receive orders from the Turkish Armed Forces as the military were involved in the Aksungur’s development.
The contract was received following the first flight and the platform entered into mass production in December 2020.
Four Aksungurs will be delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces by the end of 2021, with this delivery marking the first in the series.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![JF-17 fighter fills expanding niche in a competitive geopolitical market]()
JF-17 fighter fills expanding niche in a competitive geopolitical market
With orders from three countries, 2024 is unlikely to be the last of the export years for the joint Pakistan-Chinese fighter jet.
-
![Japan and South Korea upgrade F-15 fighters to keep them relevant]()
Japan and South Korea upgrade F-15 fighters to keep them relevant
Japan and South Korea plan major enhancements to their F-15 programmes.
-
![US Congress limits F-35 procurement]()
US Congress limits F-35 procurement
Restrictions cover new purchases of the three variants of the multirole fighter and require the DoD to correct issues in the acquisition programme.
