TR UAV/UCAV Programs | Anka - series | Kızılelma | TB - series

[begturan]

A Libyan Akinci has crashed off near Tunisia. If I remember correctly, this is the first time an Akinci has crashed.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1884231766531321913

Did Tunisia shoot down Akıncı or was it terrorist groups? I don't think it was within the range of Manpads, in which case it is highly likely that Tunisia shot it down with a medium/long range air defense system or a fighter jet or crashed because of another reasons.

I wonder what the radar signature of Akıncı is?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1884234638862012858

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1884293940700176882

 

[AlperTunga]

I hear a lot of different types of drones like FPV, long range kamikaze/cruise missile hybrids etc. that Ukraine has. I have a feeling Ukraine and probably Russia and maybe even Iran (in terms of cheap striking power with drones) can be ahead of us. It seems we are lacking new ideas. Can someone explain where do we stand in an objective way? This is more important than dwelling here on the minor technical details of a few systems we have. I also couldnt find any satisfactory info on these things elsewhere in internet.

 

[Sanchez]

Lovely snowy photos from Tekirdağ.

Prototype 4?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1892479694332637294

 

[boredaf]

Prototype 4?

Has to be, prototype 3 was TC-OZB3, you can see it on its first flight video:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1838908830068961668

 

[KhanOfEurasia]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1892532761249857643

Bayraktar AKINCI was seen with the air-to-air missile pylon.

It is estimated that the air-to-air missile firing tests will be tested by establishing a data link with the MURAD AESA radar integrated into AKINCI or the radar of another aircraft.

 

[Hannibal]

What is the operational purpose of fitting heavy drones with A2A missiles?
Do they want these drones to lead, find, and track enemy air assets?
Without risking an expensive manned platform (like a fighter jet)?

 

[uçuyorum]

What is the operational purpose of fitting heavy drones with A2A missiles?
Do they want these drones to lead, find, and track enemy air assets?
Without risking an expensive manned platform (like a fighter jet)?

Think it as a flying NASAMS, it can surely intercept basic drones and cruise missiles, as we are seeing the importance of that in ukraine. That way fighters and other systems can focus on different threats. A flying system is especially more effective against low flying targets.

 

[Sanchez]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1892532761249857643

Bayraktar AKINCI was seen with the air-to-air missile pylon.

It is estimated that the air-to-air missile firing tests will be tested by establishing a data link with the MURAD AESA radar integrated into AKINCI or the radar of another aircraft.

Tweet was deleted, but if that claim refers to the photo I shared above, that's not a LAU-129 or any other air to air pylon I know. Akıncı uses that point to carry quad Toluns on the Sadak-4T.

 

[boredaf]

What is the operational purpose of fitting heavy drones with A2A missiles?
Do they want these drones to lead, find, and track enemy air assets?
Without risking an expensive manned platform (like a fighter jet)?

I don't think anyone would think about sending them anywhere close enemy air defence or jets, they would be very easy targets. Well, unless they carry advanced BVR missiles and launch them from behind our AA umbrella, which is not very likely.

Another layer of air defence is far more likely, think about slow moving targets like cruise missiles or long range kamikaze drones like Shaheds. It could also be used against powered paragliders terrorists have been using to infiltrate Turkey, though I'm not sure whether targeting them could be problematic or not.

 

[hugh]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1893168831591219711

 

[boredaf]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1893168831591219711

Interesting, I hope they'll reveal more details soon, as in how much more can it carry now and what engine they are using Just from the tweet, it is 40 knots faster, max altitude is 8000 feet higher.

 

[Sanchez]

He wasn't kidding when he said new aero design. Can't see it from the video but photos tell a much different story. Winglets on the wing and tail boom.

It's interesting to me that SATCOM is not offered as standard on the new model. Either Baykar is now Apple of the skies and want to push the customers to TB3 and Akıncı or TB2S with the SATCOM never worked that well. A 28+ hour drone with 280km range is on a class of its own no other will ever want to get in. Wonder how cheap is the GCS+Relay combo is compared to SATCOM.

 

[Merzifonlu]

Actually, I'm curious about "the turbo engine". Erin Motor?

 

[uçuyorum]

Extra air inlet on the bottom too, pretty large one

 

[IC3M@N FX]

What is the probability that the inlet design will be transferred to TB3?
I think they want to modernize the TB2 so that it remains attractive in the lower product portfolio, not every country wants a SATCOM connection, if it can fly minimally higher, is technologically revised and offers more performance and fuel savings, the classic TB2 will soon go EoL. I could even imagine the Turkish armed forces selling their normal TB2 used to Africa & Co at a fair price and mainly switching to TB3 and TB2 2025 version.

 

[Kaan Azman]

I think it is rather transferred from TB3, instead of will be transferred to

They said turbo engine which likely refers to turbocharged. So I think they reused an existing layout to make it quick.

 

[Anmdt]

I think it is rather transferred from TB3, instead of will be transferred to

They said turbo engine which likely refers to turbocharged. So I think they reused an existing layout to make it quick.

Now question remains whether the engine is from TEI, or Baykar Motor (and subsidiary), or lastly from Rotax?

 

[Yasar_TR]

Now question remains whether the engine is from TEI, or Baykar Motor (and subsidiary), or lastly from Rotax?

As per @Merzifonlu ’s post, Baykar has an organic partnership going with Erin motor. They used a small engine of Erin to power their vertical take off UAV.

Sometimes it is easier to manipulate and work with private companies, than deal with state owned company bureaucracy.

 

[Kaan Azman]

Now question remains whether the engine is from TEI, or Baykar Motor (and subsidiary), or lastly from Rotax?

Totally not TEI, PD170 would be kinda large and we would notice

Baykar Motor? Likely considering they said they were developing their own thing

Rotax? Very likely as they have a turbocharged engine model

Either way, I'm sure it will be Baykar's own engine in the end considering how rapidly they have progressed in EO/IR field

 

[Oublious]

What is the probability that the inlet design will be transferred to TB3?
I think they want to modernize the TB2 so that it remains attractive in the lower product portfolio, not every country wants a SATCOM connection, if it can fly minimally higher, is technologically revised and offers more performance and fuel savings, the classic TB2 will soon go EoL. I could even imagine the Turkish armed forces selling their normal TB2 used to Africa & Co at a fair price and mainly switching to TB3 and TB2 2025 version.

Tb2 will after 20 years still relevant like it is now and Turkish Armed Forces will use it to. They are cheap and ther is enough spare parts to let it fly years.