On September 1, 2024, TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries/Türk Havacılık Uzay Sanayii/TUSAS) announced that its ANKA III unmanned combat aerial vehicle “successfully completed its first combat flight.” In a statement, TAI mentioned that the Anka III was “airborne with a Teber-82 guided munition mounted on its left wing, and various tests were conducted during the flight.”
Flight footage shows the ANKA III accompanied by a Hurkus aircraft, with a Teber-82 guided bomb mounted on its left wing. According to Turkiye Today, tests were conducted on “hidden weapon stations beneath the fuselage.” This latest flight follows a previous one in August, during which “landing gear retraction tests” were carried out.
The ANKA III unmanned aerial vehicle is set to become Turkey’s leading reconnaissance and strike platform, envisioned as a loyal companion to the KAAN fighter, alongside the Kizilelma. In late May, TAI’s CEO, Temel Kotil, also announced a twin-engine version that will fly at “supersonic speeds.” The UAV has been photographed equipped with a variety of air-to-ground munitions. It made its first flight on December 28, 2023.
The ANKA III UAV, described by *Daily Sabah* as a “stealth deep strike” aircraft, is currently capable of reaching a high subsonic speed of 0.7 Mach with a cruising speed of 0.42 Mach. It can ascend to an altitude of 12,000 meters, has a maximum takeoff weight of 6,500 kg, can carry a 1,200 kg payload, and can endure 10 hours of flight.
TAI CEO Mehmet Demiroglu was quoted in a *Turkiye Today* report: “The successful completion of Anka III’s first combat flight significantly strengthens Turkey’s defense capabilities.” Demiroglu added that this achievement “is a major advancement toward Turkey’s defense industry goals.” He emphasized that “this successful combat flight is an important milestone in demonstrating the operational capabilities of Anka III and advancing Turkey’s defense technologies.”
The video also reveals an EO/IR (Electro-Optical/Infrared) turret, which was not visible in the earlier official images of the ANKA III released by TAI. A Pitot tube (or flight data sensor) is located on the nose, suggesting that this is a test prototype used for data collection before entering limited or mass production. The landing gear remains deployed for several seconds after the UAV takes off and is then retracted.
All footage was shot from a single-engine Hurkus propeller plane, used as a training aircraft by the Turkish Air Force, which is seen “chasing” the ANKA III and appears at the start of the video during taxiing on the runway.
It can be assumed that this flight aimed to test the “load-bearing capacity” and overall airframe characteristics during flight with combat payloads, specifically the rigidity of the mounting points where the munitions will be installed. Overall, these tests assess the functionality of electrical and electronic connections that enable the release of weapons, as well as the impact of the munitions on the wing structure. The specific test scenarios and flight parameters remain undisclosed.
In the future, tests can be expected where the UAV will drop bombs on mock targets to fully verify the remote weapon activation system. Upcoming flights may gradually assess ANKA III’s aerodynamics, flight control, avionics, sensor performance, as well as the transportation and release of munitions in both internal and external configurations across a broader range of conditions and parameters.
Considering ANKA III’s role as a “loyal wingman,” future tests will likely include MUM-T (Manned Unmanned Teaming) scenarios, paving the way for integrated missions where manned and unmanned aircraft collaborate closely, enhancing the operational efficiency of both platforms.
Source: TheAviationist
