• Air Warfare

  Sukhoi prepares for Su-57 deliveries

  6th April 2020

  Sukhoi Corporation plans to start deliveries this year of its Su-57 fifth-generation fighter for the Russian Aerospace Forces despite the December 2019 crash of a test aircraft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Norway receives first Black Hornet vehicle recce system

  30th March 2020

  The first Black Hornet nano-UAV vehicle reconnaissance system (BH VRS) has been delivered to Norway. A spokesperson for manufacturer FLIR told Shephard that the VRS unit …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  India develops its first man-portable tethered UAV

  24th March 2020

  With armed and unarmed UAVs for the military a focus under the ‘Make in India’ initiative for defence equipment, Bengaluru-based Dynamatic Technologies Limited (DTL) has …

• Defence Notes

  Russia expects Turkey to request additional S-400 systems

  17th March 2020

  The Turkish government is expected to request additional S-400 missile defence systems in the ‘foreseeable future’, according to the director of the Russian Federal Service …

• Training

  General Atomics installs Predator Mission Trainer at FTTC

  27th March 2020

  General Atomics Aeronautical has installed a new Predator MQ-9 Block 5 UAV trainer at the Flight Test and Training Centre (FTTC) at Grand Forks, North …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Uavos and KACTS demonstrate remote operation for Saker-1B

  27th March 2020

  UAVOS and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) had demonstrated their jointly developed flight control system for the Saker-1B UAS. The new system …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  X-61A made to wait for first recoverable flight test

  8th April 2020

  Dynetics has revealed that the reshaping of flight test activities at the US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, has led to a delay of a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Coyote Block 2 UAV killer on target for IOC and sales

  17th March 2020

  Raytheon expects to begin full-rate production of Coyote Block 2 (pictured), a counter-UAS (C-UAS) UAV which is used with the Howler C-UAS system, in 2020. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia shortlists tactical UAV vendors

  20th March 2020

  Australia has announced that four companies have been shortlisted for the army’s Project Land 129 Phase 3 to find a new tactical UAV system. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Turkish EW gets passive-aggressive in Syria

  6th March 2020

  Aselsan’s KORAL radar jamming system has been deployed to northern Syria in support of Turkish operations against Kurdish insurgents. The truck-mounted KORAL provides electronic support …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orbital UAV becomes Insitu primary engine supplier

  11th March 2020

  Orbital UAV has signed a MoU with Boeing subsidiary Insitu which identifies them as the primary supplier of two Insitu-designed engines. The MoU builds on …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey to deploy S-400 next month

  6th March 2020

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that Turkey will begin deploying the S-400 air missile defence system from April 2020. His comments were made during …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orbital adds Singapore to its customer base

  19th March 2020

  Orbital UAV has signed an MoU with an unnamed large Singapore-based defence company for the design, development and low-rate initial production of multi-fuel engines for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar launches new V-150 UAV

  6th March 2020

  UMS Skeldar is launching a new rotary-wing UAV with VTOL capability. The V-150 will be available to support military personnel carry out surveillance and homeland …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Hughes offers upgrade to US Army‘s Gray Eagle

  12th March 2020

  EchoStar Corporation subsidiary Hughes Network Systems has been awarded a data link modernisation sub-contract by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, to provide Next Gen SATCOMs for …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB3 [Turkish Army]

  Background Land Forces Command Delivery In late October 2024, Haluk Bayraktar, Baykar's CEO, stated that the Bayraktar TB3 had entered mass production and could be exported ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Turkish Air Force]

  Programme Background First Flight & Contract Award The platform's maiden flight was completed on 20 March 2019, and it was first publicly shown at IDEF ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Cargo UAV (Turkey)

  Programme Background Inception & Requirment Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) initiated a programme to procure VTOL-capable cargo drones in June 2018. These were planned for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey)

  Programme Background  Selection The Turkish Armed Forces are purchasing large numbers of UAVs from Turkey's domestic defence industry to perform ISTAR missions and provide troops ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Turkish Navy]

  Programme Background First Flight & Contract Award The platform's maiden flight was completed on 20 March 2019, and it was first publicly shown at IDEF ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Inception Malaysia's desire to acquire a MALE UAV dates back to 2009, when it announced it would be the first country in the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Baha [Turkiye]

  Background Induction The Turkish Land Forces Command inducted an unknown quantity of Baha aircraft into service, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence announced on 25 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Songar (Turkey)

  Programme Background Requirement The Turkish MoND was considering adopting several micro and mini UAVs to equip the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF). One of the systems ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB3 [Turkish Navy]

  Background Anadolu Class LHD The Anadolu-class LHD consists of one Multipurpose Amphibious Assault Ship (LHD) being built for the Turkish Navy, TCG Anadolu. The vessel was ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S [Kazakhstan]

  Background Promoting Products In 2018, Shephard reported that TAI had made another effort to promote its products to Kazakhstan. Three years before a contract was ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Turkey]

  Programme Background Unveiling & Testing Unveiled at TEKOFEST Istanbul Aviation, Space and Technology Festival in September 2019, the Akinci completed its first flight in December 2019. In June 2021, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Naval Ambition The Indonesian Navy Admiral Muhammad Ali announced an initiative to purchase Turkish UCAVs as part of a broader strategy to enhance and develop ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Chad]

  Programme Background According to SavunmaSanayiST, reporting in April 2024, Chad received two Aksungur drones in 2024 following the Central African country's purchase of the Anka-S and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 (Qatar)

  Programme Background In 2018 at DIMDEX, it was revealed that Qatar had bought six Bayraktar TB2 UAVs from Turkey. The deal also included three ground control stations, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MALE UAV [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Requirement Indonesia wanted to acquire or produce an MALE UAV to operate at different air bases around Indonesia to cover the archipelago.  Procurement Over Production Early ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  PD170

  The PD170 is a turbodiesel engine initially developed to meet the engine requirement of Turkish Aerospace Industries' indigenous Anka UAV. Development began in December 2012 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Kargi

  The Kargi is an in-development loitering munition that Lentatek has developed in collaboration with the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK), Aselsan and Turkish Aerospace ...

• UAS: flight control systems, UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  UAV Flight Control Computer

  The UAV Flight Control Computer is being developed by the Turkish Defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi for remotely controlling uncrewed operations. It comprises a Central ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur

  The Aksungur is a twin-engined MALE UAS manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces. TAI completed the platform's maiden flight on 20 March ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Bulut

  Launched in early 2025, the Bulut is a VTOL-capable small UAV from Havelsan. A development of the Baha, the drone is equipped with an electro-optical (EO), infrared, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S

  Anka-S is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) designed to meet the requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces. The system has also been exported ...

• Artillery rockets

  TRG/TRLG-122

  The TRG-122 is a Turkish 122mm family of guided artillery rockets developed by ROKETSAN for the T-122 Sakarya and other MLRS platforms. The family includes ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Efe

  Efe is a lightweight, fixed-wing UAV designed for target acquisition. The platform was launched in 2006. 

• Loitering munitions

  Alpagu

  The Alpagu is a fixed-wing loitering munition developed by STM. The loitering munition comes in several variants, has been designed for lightness and portability, and is ...

• Trainer

  Hurkus

  Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries signed an agreement with Turkish Aerospace Industries in March 2006 for the Hurkus Turkish Basic Training Aircraft development programme. Three ...

• Air: UAS radar

  OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System

  The OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System by Turkish Meteksan Defence Inc. is a radar-based system designed for the automatic take-off and landing processes of ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  İhtar

  The İhtar is an anti-drone system manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to counter mini and micro-UAS threats in urban and rural environments. It detects and tracks ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Rotary Wing Cargo UAV

  Displayed at Paris Air Show 2023, the Rotary Wing Cargo UAV is a cargo-carrying and ISR drone manufactured by Turkish Aerospace (TAI). Powered by a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-I

  Anka-I is a SIGINT/COMINT variant of Turkey’s Anka-S and is operated by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization. The COMINT capability allows operators to track, geolocate and ...

• Airborne rockets - guided

  Cirit

  The Cirit 70mm laser-guided missile was designed to fill the gap between cheap and low-precision unguided rockets and high-cost guided antitank missiles. Cirit can be ...