Turkey unveiled the Kargi indigenous loitering munition at the recent EFES-2022 military drill, Daily Sabah has reported.
Ankara-based defense technology firm Lentatek developed the suicide drone in support of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Aselsan, and Turkish Aerospace Industries to replace Israel Aerospace Industries’ Derby drone in service with the Turkish military.
Kargi suppresses enemy air defense radars and uses a radio frequency (RF) seeker to find a target before striking with its “destruction system,” the Turkish outlet explained.
Indigenous Components
The drone’s components and subsystems, including an “RF seeker and destruction system, the flight engine and rocket engine, link system, propeller and fuel tank subsystems,” and the “ground systems, navigation and automatic flight control system” are domestically designed and produced.
The platform features a PG50 engine developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries subsidiary TUSAS Engine Industries.
The aircraft took its first flight in 2018 and is expected to enter serial production soon.