TAI Anka

Taianka Story

For growing military powers such as India and Turkey, the onus is on these countries to start developing sustainable domestic plans to reduce their reliance on foreign suppliers. The Indian Air Force produced the DRDO Aura UCAV and the Turkish Air Force produced the TAI Anka UAV/UCAV. Anka, named after the mythical winged beast, is currently being evaluated as a standard drone for the Turkish Air Force - working with airborne and land-based units to form a modern, effective combat force. Anka is working on two different versions - Anka-A and Anka +A. The former will be an unarmed reconnaissance variant (similar to the US MQ-1 Predator), while the latter will be an armed combat variant (similar to the MQ-9 Reaper).

As of this writing (2012), at least 5 Anka prototypes have been completed, of which 60 have been ordered for the Turkish Air Force. The Anka was designed and developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, which also directs production.

Anka is expected to be officially put into use in 2012, provided the test passes the machine.

Anka grew out of a homegrown initiative of the Turkish authorities to provide homegrown drone solutions for growing military needs. The system was developed from the beginning as a medium-range UAV with a modular payload mass for simple reconnaissance missions.

The program was launched in 2004, and the first flight of the prototype was recorded in December 2010. The aircraft was handed over to the Turkish Air Force in 2011 and is scheduled to enter production and enter service in 2012.

The Anka has a wingspan of over 56.5 feet, a barrel length of over 26 feet, and a ground height of 11 feet. The vehicle is powered by a German-developed Thielert Centurion 2.0 turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 155 hp.

This arrangement provides Anka-A with a top speed of 135 mph (cruising speed of 126 mph), a combat radius of 124 miles, and a mission duration of 24 hours. Capable of operating at altitudes up to 30,000 feet, the Anka provides ground crews with an excellent "eye in the sky".

Externally, the Anka follows traditional drone design and basic aircraft fundamentals to achieve a modern, sleek look. The design is characterized by its tubular fuselage, which contains avionics, fuel and engines. The turbocharged engine is mounted aft and drives a three-bladed propeller in a "propeller" configuration.

A pair of outwardly sloping vertical fins flank the engine case. The main wing assembly is located amidships and mounted high on the fuselage spine. These are straight components with clipped wing tips. The Anka has a well-curved nose cone for a smooth aerodynamic appearance. Below the nose is the optical assembly, housed in a rotating blister.

There is another hull bulge under the hull, although this appears to be an optional feature. The landing gear is a tricycle design with two main landing gear legs and a front leg. All of this is fully retractable into the Anka design, which also contributes to the powerful aerodynamic qualities at high speeds.

All in all, the Anka is a very large beast, more akin to a small jet trainer, and requires a crew of ground crews to get into position.

The unarmed Anka base is primarily designed for surveillance, patrolling, target tracking, identification and identification, and is equipped with a variety of optics, cameras and sensors suitable for the role. The system can take off and land autonomously, with ground control station personnel managing other functions as needed. The drone is just one part of the overall package, including the aircraft itself, ground control station, personnel and corresponding system receivers. The armed version - Anka +A - was released in July 2012, so there is very little information about the genre.

However, this version is expected to support air-to-surface missiles and have more powerful engines. There is no doubt that Anka-A's role will grow with the continued development of specialized communications repeaters, small arms and signal interception packages.

Specification

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