The new Turkish Anka-3 stealth combat drone is slated to take its inaugural flight by year-end, as reported by local media.
Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, the Anka-3 serves as an unmanned aerial combat vehicle (UCAV), sharing aviation infrastructure and a ground control station akin to its ANKA drone predecessors.
Boasting a cutting-edge flying wing design, the ANKA-3 distinguishes itself with impressive features—low radar visibility, exceptional speed, and a substantial payload capacity. Through meticulous structural enhancements and subsystem advancements, the maiden flight of this drone is imminent before the year concludes.
According to TAI, the ANKA-3 is set to offer a range of advantages. Its inherently low radar profile, coupled with high speed and expanded payload capabilities, positions it as a formidable asset in modern warfare.
Sharing common avionic architecture and ground control stations with its predecessors—the Anka and Anka-2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles—developed by TAI, the ANKA-3 integrates proven technologies into a groundbreaking platform seamlessly.
Its design, lacking horizontal and vertical tails, provides a strategic advantage—operating covertly without triggering detection alerts. Moreover, its swift deployment potential to remote and critical areas amplifies its tactical significance.
Projected to operate at a service altitude of up to 40,000 feet and endure flight durations of up to 10 hours at 30,000 feet, the ANKA-3 exemplifies endurance and adaptability. With a maximum takeoff weight of 6,500 kilograms and a substantial payload capacity of 1,200 kilograms, this aircraft emerges as a versatile and potent tool in defense operations.