Advancements and Deployment of Turkish UAVs: A Strategic Overview

[Trident]

Both are correct: the port one of the aft-facing apertures (which are not identical!) is indeed a position light, but the starboard one is clearly an optical sensor.

Looks like they have thermal cameras dotted around
View attachment 735198

 

[Combat-Master]

Aksungur UCAV launching TOLUN miniature munition

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WScZj4QXzuY

 

[Combat-Master]

Kizilelma PT-3 preparing for it' first flight

https://twitter.com/x/status/1823255387270766788

View: https://x.com/BaykarTech/status/1823255387270766788

 

[Combat-Master]

Haven't noticed this before, Akinci UCAV has a rearward facing camera

 

[Combat-Master]

STM - Roketsan Alpagut loitering munition prototype spotted on an AKINCI UCAV

View: https://youtu.be/-2hDQFHWa0o?si=u56HjBJqBJI8RyB4&t=29

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Aksungur UCAV launching TOLUN miniature munition

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WScZj4QXzuY

Looks like the pylon is part of the weapon or this was really a jettison test.

 

[Radonislav]

Looks like the pylon is part of the weapon or this was really a jettison test.

Ahahah no, it isn't the pylon but wings of Tolun

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Ahahah no, it isn't the pylon but wings of Tolun

Aaahhh, I see that now - the fairing is not as blended in as I was assuming.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[Radonislav]

Aaahhh, I see that now - the fairing is not as blended in as I was assuming.

Enjoy the Day! Mark

Possibly because of color mismatch, it is easy to think a grey part as the pylon

 

[Combat-Master]

ANKA III prototype landing gear retraction tests

https://twitter.com/x/status/1825542711589445720

View: https://x.com/TUSAS_TR/status/1825542711589445720

 

[snne]

ANKA III prototype landing gear retraction tests

https://twitter.com/x/status/1825542711589445720

View: https://x.com/TUSAS_TR/status/1825542711589445720

View attachment 737499

View attachment 737501

It'll be a VERY capable VLO drone once they make the surfaces more smooth and remove the antennas as they transition into the LRIP phase... I'd wager that the flat nozzle will only come with the indigenous engine.

 

[Radonislav]

It'll be a VERY capable VLO drone once they make the surfaces more smooth and remove the antennas as they transition into the LRIP phase... I'd wager that the flat nozzle will only come with the indigenous engine.

ASELSAN is perfecting their conformal antenna prototypes for serial production

 

[Combat-Master]

It'll be a VERY capable VLO drone once they make the surfaces more smooth and remove the antennas as they transition into the LRIP phase... I'd wager that the flat nozzle will only come with the indigenous engine.

Yeah, they will likely follow the trend and have a flat exhaust nozzle on the TF-6000. On subject of of the TF-6000, TEI have performed 54 engine runs to date since it's first turn over on March 9th.

 

[Combat-Master]

More testing going on with PT-3, think she'll fly soon :-D

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828095657238011925

View: https://x.com/BaykarTech/status/1828095657238011925

 

[Combat-Master]

TOLUN Munition Firing Test

https://twitter.com/x/status/1829205720337912084

View: https://x.com/BaykarTech/status/1829205720337912084

Also in the clip, Aselflir-500 E/O has been integrated. https://www.aselsan.com/en/defence/product/2768/aselflir500

 

[Combat-Master]

E/O installed, and carrying a MK82 Teber munition in asymmetric loadout.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1830218620061835357

View: https://x.com/TUSAS_TR/status/1830218620061835357

 

[snne]

E/O installed, and carrying a MK82 Teber munition in asymmetric loadout.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1830218620061835357

View: https://x.com/TUSAS_TR/status/1830218620061835357

View attachment 739354

I guess this is a temporary feature that is aimed to prove the design and increase the flight hours until the EOTS becomes ready for integration.

 

[Radonislav]

I guess this is a temporary feature that is aimed to prove the design and increase the flight hours until the EOTS becomes ready for integration.

You are right

 

[Combat-Master]

Scaled mockups of Aselsans uav EW pods showcased at SOFEX 2024

 

[Combat-Master]

Thought this was interesting; TB2 tail number S5 participated in 6 operations and racked up 10,000 flight hours reaching its service life, Baykar Tech exchanged S5 with a new TB2 tail number 512. Baykar Tech to conduct studies on the airframe of S5.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1833779258612646288

View: https://x.com/Selcuk/status/1833779258612646288

 

[Combat-Master]

AKINCI performing KUZGUN-SS Firing Test

https://twitter.com/x/status/1834193178171257206

View: https://x.com/Selcuk/status/1834193178171257206

 

[Combat-Master]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1834674945877569818

View: https://x.com/Selcuk/status/1834674945877569818

 

[Combat-Master]

The FULMAR 500-A Long-Range AESA Reconnaissance and Surveillance Radar being developed under a protocol signed with the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) in 2023. The FULMAR 500-A system is designed to fully meet the requirements defined by the Turkish Naval Forces Command. Leveraging ASELSAN’s extensive experience with AESA radars, the system will be able to continuously scan a 360-degree area with a coverage range of up to 200 nautical miles, tracking maritime and airborne targets.

FULMAR 500-A radar will be capable of detecting small maritime targets, such as periscopes and mines, performing target classification and identification, providing SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) and ISAR (Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar) imaging, generating range profiles, and tracking moving ground targets. With its modular and open architecture, the radar system will support IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) integration. The FULMAR 500-A Radar System will first be deployed on national UAVs in 2026, and afterward, it will be integrated into all types of manned and unmanned aircraft systems performing maritime patrol missions.

 

[Combat-Master]

TOLUN-IIR Small Diameter bomb test launch from AKINCI

https://twitter.com/x/status/1836098188421320848

View: https://x.com/BaykarTech/status/1836098188421320848

Interestingly they're using Thrustmaster Warthog for the tests

 

[snne]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1836437832048513366

View: https://x.com/Selcuk/status/1836437832048513366

Nice profile





Smaller canards



You can feel the the increased thrust of the afterburner kicking in, in comparison the first prototype was almost like a glider and had a "draggier" feel to it.

 

[Combat-Master]

A good size comparison image of the current E/O Turkey has developed to date from Left to right,
Aselflir-600 25inch | Aselflir-500 15inch | Aselflir-400 14inch