Turkey Offered Anka Transfer of Technology Proposal for Indonesia

12 November 2018

Indonesia requests both ISR and weaponised variants of the UAV (photos : Defense Studies)

Turkey looks east for first Anka export

Turkish Aerospace made a statement at this year’s Indo Defence with a full scale model of its Anka UAV on display. The company is pursuing an export sale of the system to the Indonesian Armed Forces and if successful this would represent the first export sale of the Anka.

Speaking to Shephard, Tamer Ӧzmen, VP marketing at Turkish Aerospace, said that the company was ‘waiting for the maturity of the system’ before proposing to export customers.

The Anka has now been in service with the Turkish Armed Forces for more than two years now. Variants operated include light strike, SIGINT and ISR. Turkey uses the system with laser-guided smart bombs of which four can be carried.

In total 41 Anka UAVs are under contract with the Turkish MoD and Ministry of Interior with more units expected to be ordered.

Ӧzmen said that the RfP from Indonesia requests both ISR and weaponised variants of the UAV.

‘Malaysia, Bangladesh and Pakistan have also expressed strong interest,’ Ӧzmen noted.

The company has had a strong relationship with Indonesia throughout the development of the Anka and Ӧzmen said that wind tunnel testing was carried out in the island nation.

Meanwhile, the company is keen to highlight its transfer of technology proposal for Indonesia and has already had some technical discussions with Jakarta following an industry day held in August 2018. Of note PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) will act as an industrial partner.

PTDI and TAI signed a framework agreement in July 2017 concerning aeronautical cooperation. 

‘There is a strong focus on the transfer of technology… they are where [Turkey] was ten to 15 years ago,’ Ӧzmen commented.

Looking ahead Ӧzmen said that Turkish Aerospace is already in cooperation with Indonesia regarding the development of a future UAV which will follow on from the Anka.

The next generation UAV will have an increased payload capability and will be a twin-engine aircraft. Ӧzmen was keen to highlight that this is an ongoing development and will not be completed for some years to come.

The new UAV is being developed primarily for Turkey.

The Anka MALE UAV has accumulated more than 10,000 flight hours to date and completed operations in active conflicts such as that in Syria.

It has a 17.5m wingspan, 8.6m length and a height of 3.25m. It can remain in flight for up to 24 hours and has a service ceiling of up to 30,000ft.

The company has also conducted manned-unmanned-teaming trials of the UAV with the T129 Atak helicopter.

(Shephard)