Private Turkish defense company Baykar Makina presented a prototype of a new combat UAV. It has a Ukrainian engine and is called Kızılelma (‘red apple’).
This was informed by the company on Twitter.
“Bayraktar Kızılelma” has wings. All the family together are enjoying Sunday,” says the statement.
Earlier the company has stated that the first prototype of the new UAV Kızılelma has entered the production line.
“MIUS [national unmanned combat aircraft - editor’s note] with a turbofan engine will have the ability to take off and land on the Turkish STOVL aircraft carrier TCG Anadolu [being constructed - editor’s note]. It is going to be the first runway for drones of this type in the world,” says the statement.
The new UAV will be used in multipurpose operations and is going to be supplied this year. Earlier Baykar has signed a contract with Ivchenko-Progress, a leading Ukrainian producer of aircraft engines.
The drone will have a significant operational altitude, a take-off weight of 5.5 tonnes, and a payload capacity of 1.5 tonnes. It will be able to stay in the air for 5 hours with a maximum speed of up to 900 km/h.
The company Baykar Makina is also known for its UAVs Bayraktar TB2. It is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), capable of reconnaissance operations and aiming targets with precision-guided munitions. It has the capacity of carrying a payload of 150 kg.