Turkey’s Experimental Anka-3 Drone Crashes During Test Flight

A prototype of the Turkey’s Anka-3 strike drone, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, crashed during a test flight near the central city of Konya, according to The Defence Blog.

Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense said the drone had conducted a “controlled landing.” The aircraft came down in a field, and while the fuselage remained largely intact, the wing sustained significant damage.

A loss of communication is seen as a possible cause, although an engine malfunction has not been ruled out.

The images suggest the crew attempted a landing on the aircraft’s landing gear, with at least the right strut deployed.

Anka-3

Miltarnyi reported about the Anka-3 first flight in December 2023.

The Anka-3 project is part of Turkey’s efforts to advance its defense-industrial capabilities in unmanned aviation. The drone is powered by a turbofan jet engine and has a maximum takeoff weight of around 6.5 tons, with a reported payload capacity of up to 1.2 tons.

It can operate at altitudes up to 12 km, with a maximum altitude of 13 km. Flight range and endurance have not been disclosed. The drone is designed to carry guided munitions, including the 500-pound LGK-82 laser-guided bomb.

Built with the use of a flying wing design and without a vertical tail fin, Anka-3 incorporates stealth features to reduce radar visibility.

Based on available specifications and comparisons with similar systems, Anka-3 is expected to be used for deep-strike missions and potentially for air dominance roles as a guided combat drone.

Anka-3 was first unveiled in December 2022, with its official presentation held in March 2023. Its maiden flight was reported in December 2023.