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Procurement International Summer 2017 DEFENCE PROCUREMENT INTERNATIONAL SUMMER 2017 A Watershed Moment for UAE Vehicle Production Queen Elizabeth White-Knuckle Ride More Than Just A Carrier F-35 Training Lmjc]qkLmj c]qkAltay MBT Seeing In The Dark ISSN 2049-5137 So Far So Good? FFutureuture SoldierSoldier Cover Sponsored by: AIR SYSTEMS Turkish UAVs Join Exclusive Club After a decade of research and development, Turkey recently joined a group of elite Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) producers (China, Israel, Iran, Pakistan, and the United States). A growing number of domestically-produced UCAVs are becoming opera- tional, including the armed Baykar Makina Bayraktar TB2-S. By Giulia Tilenni Karayel tactical UAV (Copyright Vestel) 'HIHQFH3URFXUHPHQW,QWHUQDWLRQDO6XPPHU 184 AIR SYSTEMS urkey has had an interest in fleet. Ankara also expressed an interest Turkey’s development of indigenous T unmanned aerial vehicles in acquiring General Atomics MQ-1 unmanned systems. (UAVs) since the onset of the Predator and MQ-9 Reaper from the US, Since then, Ankara has worked on millennium. But like most NATO but the purchase was not concluded. becoming strategically independent member countries, it has relied on Convinced of the importance of from foreign UAV suppliers through imports of foreign designed and having a UAV fleet, in 2009 the Turkish domestic UAV production. Turkey’s manufactured UAVs to sate its appetite Undersecretariat for the Defense acquisition of the Heron MALE UAV for MALE (Medium-Altitude, Long Industry launched a two-stage Tactical from Israel demonstrated that relying on Endurance) unmanned assets. Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System foreign technologies could negatively Turkish Armed Forces have operated Development programme. This resulted impact the political-military possibility of the Israel Aerospace Industries’ Heron in the creation of the first Turkish- pursuing related goals. UAV, but a cooling off in diplomatic produced tactical UAV—the Baykar Attacked by terrorist organisations relations between Turkey and Israel Makina Bayraktar Block 1—which and surrounded by political instability, negatively impacted the operability of the marked a significant step towards Turkey has become more proactive in terms of indigenous defence equipment production and UAVs have supported this posture by monitoring domestic and external threats. BAYRAKTAR TB2-S The Baykar Makina Bayraktar TB2-S tactical UCAV is based on the Bayraktar TB2 tactical UAV, which is already deployed by the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) and the Aviation Department of the Turkish National Police. The Bayraktar TB2-S has been operational since December 2015 and was used for domestic security operations up until August 2016 when the Bayraktar TB2-S was deployed for counter-terrorism operations on the Turkish border (against Kurdish forces and ISIS militants). The two Bayraktar TB2-S deployed by the TLFC have reportedly killed approximately 300 terrorists in the first months of operation. The Bayraktar TB2-S is entirely domestically-produced, including critical systems (power, inertial systems, fight controls and assignment computers, and the BSI-101 Signal Intelligence Device). Its main strengths are target acquisition and fight capability, which make this UCAV particularly efficient for counter-terrorism operations, especially when carried out in urban environments. The UCAV mounts the Roketsan laser- guided smart micro munition MAM-L. The length and weight of this munition is built around this specific class of Defence Procurement International - Summer 2017 185 AIR SYSTEMS UCAV. A new TBS-2 version, able to remained the same, and the overload mount up to four Roketsan MAM-C would have been balanced by reducing smart micro-munitions is currently the fuel load (300 litres maximum), yet under development, and should be downgrading overall capabilities. This available later this year. The TLFC will second hypothesis is the most likely, as be provided with an additional four in 2015, Roketsan performed an air- Bayrakatr TB2-S systems (16 aircraft) by to-surface anti-tank test mission in a June 2018. similar configuration. Although already operational, the Bayraktar TB2-S may still be under KARAYEL TACTICAL UAV technical evaluation. This could explain An armed version of the Vestel Although Bayraktar why, to date, technical features are still Savunma Sanayi Karayel tactical UAV undisclosed. As the Bayraktar TB2-S was presented at the third High-Tech TB2-S is proving derives from the Bayraktar TB2, it is Port 2016 exhibition in Istanbul. Karayel effective in likely that the two models share similar is thought to be the first tactical UAV counter-terrorism characteristics. According to Baykar designed, developed and produced Makina, the Bayraktar TB2 has a 150+ in Turkey. It was displayed for the first campaigns, this km range, and a 70 knots maximum time in 2013, but its development dates UCAV is far from speed. It can fly for 20 hours and to 2003. reaching US or perform semi-autonomous or fully The Karayel UCAV can fly 20-hour autonomous missions at a maximum missions at a maximum altitude of Israeli standards altitude of 24,000 ft. 22,500 ft and a maximum speed of 80 in terms of lethality The maximum payload it can carry is knots. It has an operational range of of payload or 55 kg, compared to General Atomics 150 km. The payload bay has different MQ-9 Reaper’s 1,700 kg maximum configurations related to either military endurance. payload. As each Roketsan MAM-L or civilian applications. With its 70 kg smart ammunition weighs 23 kg, the maximum payload, Karayel can mount Bayraktar TB2’s airframe could have two Rocketsan MAM-L munitions. been modified so the TB2-S could carry Other payload packages include the two ammunitions and the Electro- L3 WESCAM MX15D EO/IR camera Optical Infrared Laser Designator for target detection and different laser Laser Range Finder standard payload. designator (laser distance metre, laser Alternatively, key figures could have target guidance and laser target marker). Bayraktar TB2 UAVs (Copyright Baykar) Defence Procurement International - Summer 2017 186 AIR SYSTEMS TAI's ANKA-S at the 2017 Paris Air Show (Photo: Giulia Tilenni) The current payload is the result of border. So far, official data on ongoing range and 200 kg payload capacity. Its an upgrade of the base version of the deployments is not available. technical features have been tested in Karayel, which had a payload of 51 kg. harsh conditions, including winds (up to The Karayel UCAV was designed to UCAV TO BE – ANKA-S? 45 knots), rain and ice. meet NATO airworthiness standards Turkish Aerospace Industries’ (TAI) first ANKA-S provides real-time, night (NATO STANAG 4671), which deliveries of the armed ANKA-S MALE and day image intelligence on fixed will eventually facilitate its future UAV are expected this year. Six out of 10 and mobile targets. TAI can provide the integration into non-segregated air UAVs will enter into service this year, and UAV with two payloads: EO/IR/LD/LRF space. It can perform both manual the remaining four will follow by 2018. (for example, Aselsan CATS – Common and autonomous take-off and landing ANKA-S is a multi-role ISTAR system, Aperture Targeting System) and SAR/ and can fly in all weather conditions, deployable for all weather conditions, ISAR/GMTI (Synthetic Aperture Radar/ including ice—a pneumatic de-icing day and night missions, including Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar/ subsystem can be mounted. SIGINT. The programme commenced Ground Moving Target Indication). The Turkish Armed Forces placed an in October 2013 when TAI and the ANKA-S will mount SATCOM initial order for three ground control Undersecretariat for Defence Industries TÜRKSAT 4B for satellite stations with two Karayel UAVs each, established its development framework. communications/control. The however, the number of deployable This MALE UAV can fly 24-hour Operation, Simulator and Training UCAVs is currently unknown. In 2016, long missions at a 30,000 ft service Centre (OSEM) will allow beyond-line- the company declared that Karayel ceiling with a speed greater than 74 of-sight satellite control on different was being used along Turkey’s eastern knots. ANKA-S has a 200 km data-link UAVs at the same time. ANKA-S has 'HIHQFH3URFXUHPHQW,QWHUQDWLRQDO6XPPHU 187 AIR SYSTEMS redundant command and control A Joint Coordination Centre for difficult to assess whether Turkey will systems and can conduct fully UAVs and Surveillance Monitoring become a staple in the UCAV market. autonomous take-off and landing Systems will be established in Ankara To date, a small number of UCAVs operations. In addition, it can be to better co-ordinate UAV deployments have been delivered, and it is unclear transported by C-130. TAI is reported in counter-terrorism operations, which if other domestically-produced UAVs to have successfully concluded trials are expected to increase in future. (such as ANKA-S) will be effectively of a weaponised version of ANKA-S, Furthermore, Turkey plans to expand armed. Although Bayraktar TB2-S is carrying Rocketsan MAM-L munitions. its unmanned fleet and national proving effective in counter-terrorism The Turkish Defence Industry companies are working on nano- campaigns, this UCAV is far from Undersecretariat stated that the UAV drones and multi-copter strike drones. reaching US or Israeli standards will soon become operational in the Secondly, Turkish UAVs demonstrate in terms of lethality of payload or armed configuration. domestic companies’ relative endurance. Arming ANKA-S could proficiency at developing/producing represent a basic solution to this CONCLUSIONS cutting-edge technologies, allowing problem, but to date Turkey’s overall The Bayraktar TB2-S is fast Ankara to enter the international UCAV capability is still embryonic. Q becoming Turkey’s ‘silver bullet’ UAV suppliers’ market. The Turkish for counter-terrorism and border Bayraktar-B mini UAVs were sold protection operations, proving to Qatar in 2012, marking the first particularly effective against the PPK Turkish international sale of unmanned ABOUT THE AUTHOR thanks to its target acquisition and technologies.
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