Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) signed a contract with Pakistan’s National Engineering and Science Commission (NESCOM) to jointly produce Anka military drones, the company revealed in a statement.
The contract specified that the cooperative agreement would include human resource and technology transfer between the two entities. NESCOM is a state-owned missile manufacturer and civilian research organization.
TAI general manager Dr. Temel Kotil stated, “The contract we made with Pakistan within the scope of our Anka UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) systems will provide significant gains to the UAV industry.”
“We will implement the human resources cooperation we have made in the past years in this contract as well. Besides, we will develop production and especially technological developments together.”
Anka’s Experience
The Anka was inducted into the Turkish Air Force in 2013. Since then, Turkey’s navy, intelligence agency, and its Gendarmerie General Command have also been using the UAV. Moreover, the Tunisian government signed an $80 million contract to purchase three Anka-S drones for the country’s air force this year.
Turkey has deployed the aircraft in various operations, including Olive Branch in 2018, where the drone was used against the Kurdish militia group, the People’s Protection Units, in northwest Syria. In 2020, the Turkish military deployed the drone during Operation Spring Shield against the Syrian Armed Forces.
Features
The eight-meter (26 feet) long aircraft has a maximum speed of 217 km/h (135 mph) and a cruising speed of 204 km/h (127 mph). Its combat range is 200 km (120 miles) with a service ceiling of 9,144 m (30,000 ft).
The Anka has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,600 kg (3,527 pounds) and can carry a payload of up to 350 kg (772 pounds) and fly for a maximum of 30 hours.
The drone is fitted with the indigenously developed MAM (Mini Akıllı Mühimmat) laser-guided smart munitions, Cirit laser-guided 70 mm missile system, and a Bozok mini laser-guided rocket.