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TAI Presents ANKA III Stealth Drone at SAHA 2024 Following its Successful First Flight.
At the SAHA 2024 exhibition in Istanbul, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) presents its latest development in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the ANKA III. This stealth drone is designed to fulfill a variety of military missions, including reconnaissance, air-to-ground assaults, strategic missions, electronic warfare, and the suppression of air defense systems. Developed to enhance Turkey's technological autonomy in defense, the ANKA III features a tailless design that improves stealth and a jet engine that enhances speed and operational efficiency.
The ANKA III is armed with advanced munitions, including the SOM-J, MK-82 bombs, and small diameter bombs (Picture source: Army Recognition)
The development of the ANKA III began in 2022, and it successfully completed its first flight on December 28, 2023. This UAV has a maximum takeoff weight of 6,500 kg, can carry up to 1,200 kg of payload, and operates at altitudes reaching 40,000 feet. Its endurance allows it to conduct missions lasting up to 10 hours at speeds of 0.7 Mach. The ANKA III is armed with advanced munitions, including the SOM-J, MK-82 bombs, and small diameter bombs (SDBs), and is equipped with both internal and external stations for flexible payload configurations. This makes it adaptable to a wide range of military operations, addressing offensive and defensive needs.
The drone shares a software foundation with its predecessors, the ANKA and AKSUNGUR, benefiting from the lessons learned across over 200,000 flight hours. Designed for both line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight missions via satellite control, the ANKA III operates with high transit speed and low radar visibility, further strengthening its versatility for Türkiye’s defense industry.
On August 19, 2024, TAI announced that ANKA III successfully retracted its landing gear during a test flight, marking another milestone in its development. This achievement highlights Türkiye’s growing expertise in UAV technology and its commitment to reducing reliance on foreign defense imports. The ANKA III is part of Türkiye’s broader strategy to modernize its military forces and foster local innovation, with close collaboration between the government, industry, and research institutions.
On August 19, 2024, TAI announced that ANKA III successfully retracted its landing gear during a test flight, marking another milestone in its development (Picture source: Türk Havacılık Uzay Sanayii )
Early this year, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) CEO Temel Kotil announced that Turkey's ANKA-3 combat drone (UCAV) is set to achieve new milestones with the development of a supersonic twin-engine version, according to reports from Turkiye newspapers. The upgraded ANKA-3 will be capable of flying at supersonic speeds, significantly boosting its operational capabilities.
The first prototype, featuring a flying wing design, completed its inaugural flight on December 28, 2023. Kotil revealed that one unit has already been produced, with eight more currently in production, and plans for 20 additional units by the end of 2028. The final unit in this series will be equipped with a Turkish-made engine, and the twin-engine supersonic variant is being developed to operate alongside the KAAN.
The success of the ANKA III represents the dynamism of Türkiye’s defense industry, which continues to expand both technically and globally. This UAV is expected to bolster Türkiye’s position as a regional leader in defense technology, while its potential proliferation in international markets underscores its significance in the global defense landscape.