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The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) have ordered 80 Anka-3 unmanned combat aircraft, with first delivery expected in 2027, as Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) completes a second production line for a larger variant of the stealth drone, Breaking Defense reported.
The new line, scheduled to open in November, will build an upgraded Anka-3 with a larger airframe and an expected payload of 1.75 tons, up from about 1.3 tons on the original platform, a company official told Breaking Defense during a media visit to TAI's Ankara facility.
The order of 80 units makes Anka-3 one of Türkiye's largest drone programs and a centerpiece of its push toward stealthy unmanned combat aircraft capable of carrying cruise missiles and engaging in air-to-air combat.
The upgraded aircraft will carry more munitions to meet new national requirements, the official said, adding that the first aircraft from the new line is expected to roll out "soon" and then begin flight tests.
TAI General Manager Mehmet Demiroglu said in a recent television interview that testing of two prototypes led to design changes.
"Now we have started prototype production of what we call the second configuration, the final serial production configuration. It will emerge at the end of this year, and we plan the first flight of the new version in the first quarter of next year," he told Haberturk.
"We made a series of fine improvements both for serial production and to further reduce the radar cross-section for stealth," he said, adding, "Now we are talking about an Anka III where all these come together, with increased flight range and endurance, takeoff weight and payload rising from 1.3 tons to 1.7 tons, a grown Anka. It has also become usable in both air-to-ground and air-to-air engagements."
Anka III, which conducted its first engine run in 2023, took to the skies for the first time on Dec. 28. The fully autonomous flight lasted over an hour, during which all systems were tested, followed by an automatic landing.
Anka-3 can reach high-subsonic speeds and operate at altitudes of up to 40,000 feet, according to TAI. It carries 650 kilograms in two internal stations, 650 kilograms on inner wing stations and 100 kilograms on outer stations, and is planned to use the SOM-J cruise missile, MK-82 bombs and TOLUN munitions.
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Company officials said the first KAAN fighter prototype destined for the Turkish Armed Forces, P1, is being prepared for flight testing.
Spain has agreed to buy 30 Hurjet trainers, and Demiroglu said that Madrid plans to buy another 15, as TAI scales up production, including the Anka-3.
TAI's newly unveiled Ayaz turbojet-powered one-way attack drone and Super Simsek (Super Lightning) Tactical UAV System "successfully conducted dive attacks and struck their targets during the Atis Serbest exercise, marking their first use with live warheads," the company official said.
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