Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSAŞ) successfully completed the first flight of its High-Speed Target Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), "Şimşek," on August 4, 2012.
During the flight, the takeoff phase using a hydraulic ejector, the airfield circuit, and the landing phase using a parachute system were successfully completed as planned.
The "Şimşek" project, initiated in 2009 with TUSAŞ's own resources and TEYDEB support, aimed to meet the need for a High-Speed Target Aircraft that would cost-effectively simulate the flight of threat combat aircraft and guided missiles for use in lock-on and firing training of surface-to-air and air-to-air missile systems.
Developed with maximum domestic contribution and building upon the experience gained with TUSAŞ's Turna Target UAV System, which has been in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces since 2001 and has been actively used in all exercises and trainings, especially in recent years, the "Şimşek" system will provide training opportunities in more realistic scenarios thanks to its high speed and maneuverability.
