Türkiye’s ANKA III has dropped a bomb from its internal bay
January 13, 2025
The ANKA III (or Anka-3) is a stealthy UCAV with a flying wing configuration that is currently under development by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI or Türk Havacılık Uzay Sanayii AŞ – TUSAŞ). It is one of two Turkish advanced LO UCAVs being developed under of Project MİUS (Muharip İnsansız Uçak Sistemi or Combatant Unmanned Aircraft System), alongside the Bayraktar Kızılelma.
The need for low observability (stealth) naturally makes internal weapons carriage essential, and so the drop of an Aselsan Tolun from the bay marked an important milestone.
The ANKA III took off from Murted Air Base on Friday, 10 January 2025, flying to the Acikir Firing Field, where it successfully completed its test drop. The feat was announced on 13 January 2025. It was carried out from an altitude of 20,000 feet and a speed of 180 knots and achieved pin point accuracy.
There has been some speculation that this may be the first time that a UCAV has released a bomb from an internal weapons bay.
The seven tonne ANKA III made its one hour and ten minute maiden flight on 28 December 2023, and is being developed to undertake both reconnaissance and attack missions, with a planned operational altitude of 40,000 feet and a top speed of Mach 0.7.
When fully armed, the ANKA III will be able to carry 650 kilograms (1,433 pounds) on each of the two fuselage stations, and each of the inboard underwing stations, and 100 kilograms (220 pounds) on each of the outboard underwing stations.
The ANKA III successfully completed its first live weapons drop on 20 September 2024, dropping a weapon fitted with an Aselsan AF500 electro-optical camera system, and a Roketsan Teber-82 guidance kit from an inboard underwing pylon.
