March 21, 2023
By Dylan Malyasov
Türkiye’s Anka-3 stealthy flying-wing drone demonstrator has appeared for the first time, revealing details of the new Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) design. The Anka 3 is an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle that seems to have similarities in planform to the Northrop Grumman X-47B.
The new drone, developed by the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), was designed for a heavy payload of sensors and weapons. It is reportedly able to fly at an altitude of 40,000 ft (12 km) and can loiter over targets for about 10 hours, making them useful for surveillance missions.
The 6,500-kilogram Anka-3 has a cruising speed of 460 kph and a top speed of 800 kph. The new drone with a 1,200-kg payload capacity is also equipped with advanced avionics and sensor systems, including a high-resolution electro-optical camera, a synthetic aperture radar, and electronic warfare systems.
The aircraft has a V-shaped tail less design and does not have horizontal and vertical stabilization to reduce its radar cross-section (RCS).