Turkish Aerospace Industries has created a kamikaze drone based on its Simsek training drone. According to Defense News, it will be possible to launch it from another drone.
The original Simsek appeared in 2009. Their task was to simulate high-speed targets in tests of land and sea air defense systems, as well as air — to-air missiles. The speed of drones can reach 740 kilometers per hour, and they fly at an altitude of 305 to 4572 meters. Although Simsek was initially launched from a catapult and only on tests, last year they were integrated with An Anka aircraft-type drone to participate in combat operations.
The executive director of Turkish Aerospace Industries, Temel Cotil, said on April 25 that Simsek had another modification-shock. It can carry five kilograms of explosives, and when launched from a drone, its flight radius is 100-120 kilometers. Cotil did not disclose other details about this modification, but noted that it is already ready for operation.
Defense News notes that the Turkish kamikaze drone cannot be fully called a barrage ammunition, as, for example, the Israeli reconnaissance and strike Harop. Simsek was originally designed to simulate aircraft. Therefore, its speed and maneuverability is higher than that of barrage ammunition. It is also cheaper and easier to produce.
At the same time, Harop and most other barrage ammunition are larger, they have a wider range of use, and they can carry more explosives. And the Simsek, in addition, does not have optical sensors or a data link that would allow it to adjust to the target, and it can not be remotely controlled.
Barrage ammunition is much cheaper than standard weapons, so they are now being developed in many countries, including Russia. Earlier, we wrote about the air mining system based on the Lancet drones, which was developed by Zala Aero.
Vasilisa Chernyavtseva
