Turkey flies Anka 3 UCAV

The Anka 3 UCAV flew for the first time on 28 December. (Turkish government)

The Turkish Aerospace (TA) Anka 3 flying-wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) made its maiden flight on 28 December.

The flight over Ankara lasted for 70 minutes, during which the UCAV reached a height of 8,000 ft and a speed of 150 kt.

The existence of a low-observable, jet-powered UCAV was first made public in December 2022. The first taxi tests were performed in April 2023.

According to TA, the maximum take-off weight of the Anka 3 is 6.5 tons. The UCAV has a service ceiling of 44,000 ft and an endurance of10 hours at 30,000 ft. The top speed is 425 kt, and its cruise speed is 250 kt. The prototype of the Anka 3 is powered by a low-bypass turbofan engine.

The Anka 3 can carry 650 kg of munitions on each of the two internal weapon stations, or 650 kg on the inner and 100 kg on the outer underwing stations, for when stealth is not required. The UCAV will be able to carry a variety of smart or general-purpose bombs, guided ammunition, and missiles.

TA states that the Anka 3 uses the same ground systems as its earlier Anka and Aksungur unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for increased commonality.