Turkish UAV & UCAV Developments

Nart said:
MURAD's F-16 version, on the other hand, was tested/is being tested on a transport aircraft (C-130 or a CN-235; I don't know which one). So, the "Radars will be tested on Akıncı first" thing is long gone and rejected by the Air Force quite a while ago. SSB officials can say whatever they want, but the reality is different.
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Here's a photo of a console inside the CN-235 that was used as a test-bed.

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See below:

Combat-Master said:
Images from the tests of the MURAD-100A AESA radar at ASELSAN facilities.
View attachment 741014View attachment 741015

Also been tested inflight onboard a transport aircraft, i believe in a similar fashion as to S.Koreans with the radar facing out the rear cargo bay doors
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Good to know they intend to use a proper airborne radar testbed for the KAAN radar, I missed that. Better late than never I guess, for a fighter which intends (Edit) to be operational (Edit) in 3.5 years.

But be realistic, you can’t finalize an AESA radar by having a console in a transport aircraft, facing the radar out of the cargo bay doors. (S. Koerans might, with much of US help)
In my opinion, the Akinci is the airborne radar testbed for the MURAD-100A. Fine tuning all the different modes like for air-to-air and air-to-ground etc. for the first time and therefore have a base for the KAAN radar.
 
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had said:
Good to know they intend to use a proper airborne radar testbed for the KAAN radar, I missed that. Better late than never I guess, for a fighter which intends to fly in 3.5 years.
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Kaan's MURAD-600A is currently in the CDR phase, it is supposed to be fitted on the Kaan and fly in 2026. 2028 is when the delivery of the initial batch of 10-20 planes to the Air Force is going to happen.
 
Nart said:
Indeed, because last time I heard, they started the tests last year sometime around late spring or early summer, but afaik, those were more of a fit-checks with a non-functioning engineering sample. Now that they have started releasing videos, we can say that they have begun flight tests with the real radar. Companies release public information either at the very beginning of a project or after a certain milestone is reached. I believe it is the latter in this case.
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I think the year long delay happened because they had to change the cooling (but I'm certainly no expert in this topic). I couldn't find specific articles detailing the conversion of an airborne FCR's cooling system from liquid to air.

@stealthflanker any guesses?

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snne said:
I think the year long delay happened because they had to change the cooling (but I'm certainly no expert in this topic). I couldn't find specific articles detailing the conversion of an airborne FCR's cooling system from liquid to air.

@stealthflanker any guesses?

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It's still liquid cooled, the air passes through the heat exchanger to cool it down. What's more interesting is that they are using Akinci-A prototype with 2x AI-450C engines to power it, would of expected something little beefier to power MURAD.
 
"Türkiye’s Baykar and Italy’s Leonardo Join Forces for Drones

Türkiye’s Baykar and Italy’s Leonardo have announced the creation of a joint venture aimed at producing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

According to Leonardo and Baykar, the European UAV market is projected to reach $100 billion over the next decade.

The joint venture will be headquartered in Italy, with production facilities in both Italy and Türkiye to maximize efficiency and supply chain resilience.

The agreement strengthens Türkiye’s and Italy’s presence in the global defense industry, leveraging Baykar’s advanced UAV technologies—including the Bayraktar TB2 and AKINCI platforms—alongside Leonardo’s expertise in avionics, AI-driven technologies, and C4ISR systems.

Leonardo’s CEO, Roberto Cingolani:

Europe has a gap in unmanned technologies for various reasons, and in a complicated time like the one we are living in, it is fundamental to guarantee global security."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1897616702667399490
View: https://x.com/clashreport/status/1897616702667399490
 
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That means that Leonardo and Aselsan will be competitors for providing AESA radars for the Akinci UCAV.
As mentioned before, I have my doubts about the readiness of MURAD-100A but it could have an advantage with its pure Gallium Nitride approach.
Or Leonardo shows us that the combination of GaAs and GaN was indeed the better solution.
www.key.aero

An in-depth look at the Eurofighter's next-gen radar

Will the Eurofighter Typhoon's new ECRS Mk 2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar be the world's best? Key.Aero investigates...
www.key.aero www.key.aero
Will be interesting to follow up on that competition.
Edit:
Not to spam the thread, I simply add it in here.
I’m not talking about a displacement competition, obviously the Turkish airforce will back MURAD-100A to the end, being a steeping stone for the KAAN radar.
I’m just interested which approach provides the best result, having now an identical platform for better comparison.
 
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had said:
That means that Leonardo and Aselsan will be competitors for providing AESA radars for the Akinci UCAV.
As mentioned before, I have my doubts about the readiness of MURAD-100A but it could have an advantage with its pure Gallium Nitride approach.
Or Leonardo shows us that the combination of GaAs and GaN was indeed the better solution.
www.key.aero

An in-depth look at the Eurofighter's next-gen radar

Will the Eurofighter Typhoon's new ECRS Mk 2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar be the world's best? Key.Aero investigates...
www.key.aero www.key.aero
Will be interesting to follow up on that competition.
Click to expand...
Doesn't have to be.

Aselsan already has a base market, and the radar it has integrated is through and through an F-16-grade fighter radar.

img_8474-mp4_snapshot_00-08-399-jpg.761293
b1-1734600039.jpg


Some countries might find it too expensive and/or simply too much for their needs.

So, there's essentially enough market for both Aselsan and Leonardo...
 
had said:
That means that Leonardo and Aselsan will be competitors for providing AESA radars for the Akinci UCAV.
As mentioned before, I have my doubts about the readiness of MURAD-100A but it could have an advantage with its pure Gallium Nitride approach.
Or Leonardo shows us that the combination of GaAs and GaN was indeed the better solution.
www.key.aero

An in-depth look at the Eurofighter's next-gen radar

Will the Eurofighter Typhoon's new ECRS Mk 2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar be the world's best? Key.Aero investigates...
www.key.aero www.key.aero
Will be interesting to follow up on that competition.
Edit:
Not to spam the thread, I simply add it in here.
I’m not talking about a displacement competition, obviously the Turkish airforce will back MURAD-100A to the end, being a steeping stone for the KAAN radar.
I’m just interested which approach provides the best result, having now an identical platform for better comparison.
Click to expand...

The best approach is always going domestic, full software, hardware and weapons integration control. Offering alternatives systems to the export market is also a bonus in terms of not disclosing capabilities of each drones.

Turkey may have been reluctant to offer MURAD to the european market, or european market may have been reluctant to purchase radars+other systems too from Turkey for whatever reason. Either way, Baykar is opening up into european market and beyond with this approach a win-win for both sides.

Also, with air to ground munitions - I don't think there are any other european country that offers as much alternatives as Turkey does - that will be the biggest export with these drones - Low Cost Smart Munitions will be selling like hot cakes with Akinci UCAV.

This image is also missing out a bunch of munitions integrated into the Akinci -
1741273984490.png
 
turdef.com

Leonardo and Baykar established JV for Unmanned Technologies | TURDEF

Leonardo and Baykar signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a joint venture for UAS, where Baykar will provide the platform and Leonardo’s payloads.
turdef.com turdef.com

This makes it official and leads to a joint venture and a mutual active/passive technology transfer. Leonardo is the largest defense company in Europe.
This is a win-win situation for both Baykar and Leonardo.

After the UK and Spain, Italy is the third strategic country in and around the EU to actively seek and cooperate with the Turkish defense industry.
 
Combat-Master said:
View attachment 761020

Dimensions / Weight
  • Length: 4 m
  • Wingspan: 1.75 m
  • Height: 0.7 m
  • Max Takeoff Weight (MTOW): 200 kg
  • Payload: 35 kg (up to 50 kg)
Performance
  • Ceiling: 35,000 ft
  • Max Speed: 0.85 Mach
  • Endurance: 1 hr
  • Range: 200 km (Line of Sight, LOS) / 700 km (Beyond Line of Sight, BLOS)
Key Features & Roles
  • Carried Under and Launched from AKSUNGUR or ANKA III
  • Reconfigurable Payload Options According to Mission Requirements
  • Warhead Integration Capabilities
  • Electronic Warfare Measures
  • Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
  • Chaff and Flare
  • Hot Nose for IR Augmentation
  • RCS (Radar Cross Section) Augmentation
  • Miss Distance Indicator (MDI)
  • Swarm Technologies Assisted with AI and Machine Learning

View attachment 761017View attachment 761018View attachment 761019
Click to expand...

Air-To-Air variant of Super-Simsek is also in development

1741286896250.png

Source - TURKISH DEFENCE INDUSTRY PRODUCTS CATALOG 2025
 
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21 Smart Weapons integrated with Akinci UCAV so far;

1741684478887.png 1741684502954.png
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MUNITIONDescription
Weight (kg)​
Range (km)​
iHA-230Larger supersonic air-to-surface missile, designed for extended range and enhanced payload, suitable for strategic targets.230150+
ÇAKIRCruise missile developed by Roketsan, offering precision strikes with low radar cross-section, capable of land and surface targets.275150+
TOLUNMiniature bomb with GPS/INS guidance, developed by Aselsan for high precision against hard and soft land targets.139100
TOLUN-IRInfrared-guided version of TOLUN, offering all-weather capability for miniature bomb strikes.120100
KGK-82Winged guidance kit for MK-82 bombs, developed by TUBITAK SAGE, extending range for UCAV operations.24230+
KUZGUN-SSModular guided munition with winged guidance kit8540+
GÖZDENew generation guidance kit for MK-82 bombs, providing high precision with INS/GPS/Laser for moving targets.26528
GÖKÇENew generation guidance kit for MK-83 bombs, offering INS/GPS/Laser guidance for moving and stationary targets.47537+
iHA-122Supersonic air-to-surface missile with advanced targeting capabilities8155
MAM-TSmart micro munition by Roketsan, fixed wing structure for precision strikes at longer ranges.9550+
MAM-T IR/TVAdvanced MAM-T with infrared and TV guidance, enhancing targeting flexibility for various missions.9650+
MAM-LSmart micro munition with laser guidance, effective against a range of targets with high accuracy.2230+
MAM-L/TVTV-guided smart micro munition, providing precision strikes with enhanced visual guidance.2325+
MAM-CCompact smart micro munition, designed for low-payload platforms, offering precision in close support.158
LGK-81Laser-guided kit, converts MK-81 bombs into smart weapons, enhancing accuracy for stationary and moving targets.13312
LGK-82Laser-guided kit for MK-82 bombs, improving precision and range for air-to-ground missions.24220
HGK-82Precision guidance kit for MK-82 bombs with GPS/INS, enhancing all-weather strike capability.26215
TEBER-81Laser-guided kit by Roketsan for MK-81 bombs, increasing strike capability against various targets.1508
TEBER-82Laser-guided kit for MK-82 bombs, enhancing accuracy for air-to-ground missions.26013 to 30 (with wing kit)
LAÇINLAÇİN is a smart guidance kit that can be used against fixed and moving targets with an imaging infrared seeker and tactical data link.28550
ELÇINSpecific munition or guidance kit, details limited, assumed for precision targeting, similar to LAÇIN.28530
ALPAGUTSmart Loitering Munition System5860

Missing from the list above, either missile is in development or they haven't gotten around to it yet

- BOZOK | Miniature laser guided bomb
- UMTAS | Anti-Tank Missile
- KUZGUN KY | Multipurpose Missile with solid rocket motor
- KUZGUN TJ | Multipurpose Missile with turbojet propulsion
- SOM-J | Cruise Missile
- iHA-300 | Ballistic Missile
- SUNGUR IIR | MANPAD adapted into short range Anti-Air Missile
- GOKDOGAN | WVIR air-to-air missile
- BOZDOGAN | BVR air-to-air missile

================================

Screen caps from;
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO1m5lFJYqs
 
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Combat-Master said:
The best approach is always going domestic, full software, hardware and weapons integration control. Offering alternatives systems to the export market is also a bonus in terms of not disclosing capabilities of each drones.

Turkey may have been reluctant to offer MURAD to the european market, or european market may have been reluctant to purchase radars+other systems too from Turkey for whatever reason. Either way, Baykar is opening up into european market and beyond with this approach a win-win for both sides.

Also, with air to ground munitions - I don't think there are any other european country that offers as much alternatives as Turkey does - that will be the biggest export with these drones - Low Cost Smart Munitions will be selling like hot cakes with Akinci UCAV.

This image is also missing out a bunch of munitions integrated into the Akinci -
View attachment 761829
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Following Leonardo products have been revealed to be added to the offered payloads of Baykar's UAVs:

  • Skyward IRST
  • Britestorm Stand-in Jammer
  • Gabbiano surveillance radar

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snne said:
Following Leonardo products have been revealed to be added to the offered payloads of Baykar's UAVs:

  • Skyward IRST
  • Britestorm Stand-in Jammer
  • Gabbiano surveillance radar

View attachment 762666
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@Leonardo_live expects €600 million in revenue from its partnership with @BaykarTech by 2029.

Leonardo has published its 2025-2029 Industrial Plan. According to this:

*Leonardo will be able to integrate a variety of systems, including the Gabbiano radar, Britestorm jammer, Skyward IRST system, and Leoss E/O sensor, among others.

*Production is expected to begin in Turkey and Italy in 2026.

*Through the partnership, Leonardo expects an additional €1.1 billion in orders and €600 million in revenue during the 2025-2029 period.

1000025797.jpg 1000025798.jpg 1000025799.jpg 1000025800.jpg
 
Lacy said:
do we know, for sure, that the unit is km? maybe it's in nautical miles?
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It depends, Aselsan uses both KM and NM in their brochures.

https://wwwcdn.aselsan.com/api/file/FULMAR_500-A_ENG.pdf
https://wwwcdn.aselsan.com/api/file/STR_700-G_ENG.pdf

Since this particular radar is fitted on a drone, maybe it is capped by the drone's capacity. 160nm would put it at 300km, which is a bit beyond what I expect for a 1200 GaN TRM radar's instrumented range.

See the quote(s) below for Dhimas Afihandarin's estimates on the range:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828052818634399951
View: https://x.com/Flankerchan/status/1828052818634399951

https://twitter.com/x/status/1828052823277515143
View: https://x.com/Flankerchan/status/1828052823277515143
 
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Usually, Aselsan uses km for ground/naval radars and nm for aircraft radars. But in this case, I'll be really honest, it confuses me. Did they switch to km for Akıncı? Because 160 nm is around 300 km
 
Combat-Master said:
Instrumental range is likely higher, looks like they're locking on to a target within 120-160km range
View attachment 762837
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That's right, the Target was over 120km, probably 140km. So we can assume that 150-200km would be possible. But here the question arises as to whether the HALE drone can provide the energy requirements of an AESA radar with such a range.
 
If Europe really wants to stop F-35 orders, kizelmas would be great replacements, it has the stealth and long-range missile capabilities.
 
Lacy said:
Maybe I'm biased but it's such a beautiful drone.
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What makes it beautiful for me is the fact that it can carry a fighter-grade AESA FCR and act as a mini forward radar node with its long duration, never mind the fact that it can also carry air-to-air ammunition against cruise missiles, drones, helicopters and lower end fighter jets (or even higher tier jets depending on the circumstances)...

This makes it much more harder for the enemy to plan a successful mission than before.

Edit: it can also carry cruise missiles, Mk-84 class penetrator bombs and similar ordnance.

bayraktar-akinci-loaded-with-som-j-cruise-missile-kgk-82-v0-vnftyymkuk2a1.jpg
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Going forward a lot of countries won’t even need fighter aircraft. Long range, long endurance drone with powerful AESA and weapons suite should be able to fulfill the niche of air patroller.
 
siegecrossbow said:
Going forward a lot of countries won’t even need fighter aircraft. Long range, long endurance drone with powerful AESA and weapons suite should be able to fulfill the niche of air patroller.
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There's still a need for manned aircraft, at least in the class of the FA-50, T-7, or Hürjet, by smaller countries or countries with less need to invest in advanced fighters.

If you don't have troublesome relations with your neighbors and don't really expect a war to break out in neither the near or far future, why even procure something high- (like the J-20) or mid-tier like the (KF-21, Su-75)?

Not everyone needs a J-20, F-35, Su-57 or Kaan.
 

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