TAI has updated the catalogue information of the ANKA 3 (ANKA III) combat unmanned aerial vehicle system, whose first delivery to the Turkish Armed Forces is planned for 2027. The catalogue information, newly updated in November 2026, includes the aircraft's dimensions, performance data, payloads and new details regarding its capabilities.
Dimensions and Weight
ANKA 3 has a length of 8.9 metres, a wingspan of 13.1 metres and a height of 2.5 metres. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 7,250 kilograms, and its maximum payload capacity has been updated to 1,700 kilograms. The updated payload capacity is an indication that the aircraft has been structurally improved and made lighter compared with its first versions.
Performance Data
The aircraft can reach a maximum speed of Mach 0.7 at an altitude of 30,000 feet and has a service ceiling of 40,000 feet. ANKA 3's mission radius is highly noteworthy. It is stated that the aircraft has a mission radius of 1,075 kilometres in the air-to-air configuration and 750 kilometres in the air-to-ground configuration (with 8 TOLUN munitions and EOTS). Thanks to its SkyARX satellite terminal, ANKA 3 can be controlled from anywhere in the world.
Features and Payloads
The most important feature of ANKA 3 is, of course, its low radar visibility. The unmanned combat aerial vehicle also offers 2 internal and 2 external payload stations, air-to-air and air-to-ground strike capability, and high payload capacity. The unmanned combat aerial vehicle, which will have the ability to operate together with other manned or unmanned systems (MUM-T), will feature advanced systems as payloads, including an Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Infrared Search and Track System (IRST) and an Electronic Warfare system.
Able to Take Off from an Aircraft Carrier
One of the elements standing out in ANKA 3's catalogue information is its capability to take off from and land on an aircraft carrier. This feature indicates that the unmanned aerial vehicle will be one of the strike systems of the new aircraft carrier Türkiye is developing. We anticipate that the ANKA 3 family will later be divided into two as land and naval versions.
Self-Defence Systems
One of the most noteworthy features in the new catalogue information is that ANKA 3 will have a self-defence capability. The aircraft's self-defence systems also have a comprehensive structure. Systems such as the Missile Warning Receiver (MWR), Directed Infrared Countermeasures System (DIRCM), Radar Warning Receiver (RWR), RF Jammer, Guided Missile Decoy, Chaff and Flare provide protection for ANKA-III against threats. All these systems indicate that the aircraft will be a system with high situational awareness thanks to its artificial intelligence and advanced sensor systems.
The Engine of ANKA 3
No information regarding the power system that ANKA 3 possesses or will possess in the future is included in the current catalogue information. According to open-source information that has come to public attention so far, the current prototypes of the ANKA 3 system that have been tested use the AI-322 turbofan engine produced by the Ukrainian company Motor Sich. When Türkiye's own domestic jet engines enter service, it is envisaged that ANKA 3 will use the TEI-TF6000, whose tests are ongoing at TUSAŞ Engine Industries, or the TEI-TF10000 with afterburner.
Delivery Date
The Turkish Armed Forces have ordered 80 ANKA-3 aircraft, and the first delivery is expected to be made in 2027.
Note
If you have any photos or video footage to support our news story, please share them with us using the information provided on our contact us page.
