ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey's procurement agency has launched a competition promoting domestic development of key sub-systems used in drones.
The Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) said some of the systems it wants to develop domestically include turboprop engines, spare cruise systems, perceive-and-avoid systems, wide band satellite communication systems, automatic takeoff and landing systems, high-resolution cameras, surveillance systems, electronic support pods, electronic ground support systems and search-and-rescue systems.
Companies interested in developing those systems should apply to SSM no later than May 2, the office said.
Initially, the systems would be mounted on the Anka, a medium-altitude, long-endurance drone developed by Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) that made its debut flight in February.
The drone reached an altitude of 19,000 feet and successfully carried out a four-hour exploration and observation flight.
TAI started its work on the Anka in 2004. In 2013, the company won a contract from the Turkish government to supply 10 Ankas and their ground control stations.
In 2014, military and defense officials moved ahead with a plan to add satcom capabilities to the Anka, while also bringing together a task force that would design and develop an indigenous engine for the drone. That drone, the Anka S will be delivered by 2017.
The Anka is TAI's first indigenous design in aerospace.
In December, Turkey's domesitc industry successfully tested an armed, tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The tactical UAV tested for armed flight is the Bayraktar produced jointly by two Turkish private companies, Baykar and Kale Kalip.
Burak Ege Bekdil was the Turkey correspondent for Defense News.
