Between Çakır and UAV-230, we'll have 2 options for different missions with 150+ km range for our heavy duty drones like Akıncı and Aksungur. How many air defense systems have longer range than that? Our drones can rain fire from relative safety with these missiles in a lot of situations except for the worst case ones, for which we just happened to be developing Anka-3.
There is also some very important points that needs to be remembered:
Çakır uses an air breathing engine for propulsion and is subsonic (0.75-0.85 Mach). It has been designed to sink a surface ship. At least take it out of commission. (it has a warhead weight of 70kg) It is expensive albeit not as much as an Atmaca. It has a sea hugging, maneuvering flight profile to stay away from enemy radar detection and CWIS fire.
UAV230 is a comparatively cheaper missile to attack surface positions with supersonic speeds. It relies on its high supersonic speed (around 4.2 Mach max) to avoid interception. it has less destructive power. (Warhead weight 42kg) . But carries more kinetic energy when striking it’s target due to it’s supersonic speed.
I am still pining for our TRG300 missiles being fired from F16 jets. Israeli f16s carry 4 of these to attack surface targets from stand off distances. They use them because they are “cheap” and “effective”.
It wouldn’t hurt to take a page out of their book once in a while.
