ANKA-S UAV To Be Delivered To Turkish Army In 2017

Turkish Aerospace Industries will start delivery of satellite-communication (SATCOM)-equipped 10 ANKA-S Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) next year.

The delivery is planned to be completed by 2018 while the qualification process was in progress, Daily Sabah reported Wednesday.

The Anka-S UAV is being developed to meet the TSK's aerial reconnaissance, surveillance, target identification and detection needs. Development commenced in 2004 and the Anka’s maiden test flight took place in December 2010.

The contract to mass produce the ANKA UAV system, was signed between the Undersecretariat and Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) on Oct. 2013.

The UAV, will have the capability to operate for 18 hours at an altitude of 23,000 feet, and in addition to all the available capabilities, ANKA-S will feature control over satellite (SATCOM TÜRKSAT 4B), communication relay, cryptographic data link, locally developed flight control computer and high-definition EO/IR cameras.

Through its Operation, Simulator and Training Center (OSEM), it will be possible to control more than one ANKA-S UAV system at the same time via the satellite beyond the sight line.