Turkey to manufacture new type of UAV

The Turkish Scientific and Research Centre for Aerospace Technologies (UZAYTEM) jointly with Tusa? Motor Sanayi are preparing to manufacture a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday.

The new UAV will differ from earlier manufactured UAVs in regards to functionality.

The new UAV will have a length of six meters and a total weight of 150 kilograms. The first test of the new model of the UAV will be held in August of 2013. If the new UAV is successful, the Tusa? Company will begin mass production by 2014.

This will be the third Turkish UAV.

Turkey has been working to create its first reconnaissance UAV since 2004. About 180 engineers have been involved in the project which refers to medium class vehicles with a long flight span.

ANKA has several advantages in comparison to the Israeli UAV Heron. The Heron can lift no more than 185 kilograms of payload to the height of 30,000 feet, while this figure exceeds 200 kilograms in the ANKA UAV.

In recent years, the Turkish military-industrial company has focused on manufacturing domestic defence products.

At present, Turkey conducts work to manufacture the UAV Simsek ("Lightning").

Its length is 2.3 meters, with a wingspan of 1.5 meters. The maximum takeoff weight is 75 kilograms, with a speed of 740 kilometers per hour.


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