Turkish Military to Buy Domestically Produced ‘Machine-gun’ Drone

The Turkish military is set to buy ‘Songar,’ a locally-made armed drone capable of firing automatic weapons.

Eight ‘Songar’ drone systems, equipped with automatic machine guns, will enter service with the deal signed between Turkey's Defense Industries Presidency and the drones' manufacturer, Asis Elektronik, Hurriet Daily News reported.

The drones will increase effectiveness by holding targets under fire and supporting existing reconnaissance and surveillance tools, the report said.

The ‘Songar’ systems are capable of staying aloft for 20 minutes when fully loaded, Songar will operate at a minimum altitude of 3,000 meters and carry a 5.56 caliber rifle and 200 bullets.

The system will a include a laser to determine the distance to a target and is equipped with a specially-designed flexible ammunition feed chute as well as an automatic firing mechanism. It is able to replace its bullet compartment without needing any human intervention.