Components of contention

The US government banned WestCAM Solutions from supplying Turkey with laser designators and sensors that were supposed to be installed on modern Turkish Drones Karayel. According to Today's Zaman, due to this decision, the delivery of a new reconnaissance UAV to the Turkish armed forces, which was planned as early as June 2014, may be in jeopardy. The contract for the development of a new reconnaissance drone, designated Karayel, was signed by the Turkish Ministry of Defense with Vestel in 2011. Subsequently, this company ordered the necessary components from the American company WestCAM Solutions. In accordance with US law, the company requested permission to export military equipment from the government and was denied. At the same time, Washington did not explain the reasons for this decision.

In addition to the Karayel reconnaissance UAV, modern American laser designators and cameras were planned to be used to create the combat version of the Anka drone. Sources of the Today's Zaman publication in the Turkish defense ministry suggested that the United States could refuse to supply Ankara with components because the Turkish military had earlier opted for China’s production systems as part of a tender for the supply of air defense systems. Earlier, Washington also refused to supply Turkey with American drums MQ-1 Predator UAV. It is assumed that Turkey, which is experiencing great disappointment with the decision of the US authorities, can express its protest to the States at the highest level.

Created in Turkey, the new Karayel UAV will be able to fly at altitudes up to 7 thousands of meters above sea level, as well as carry various payloads weighing up to 70 kg. The drone can be in the sky for 20 hours. According to the terms of the agreement, which Vestel has signed with the Turkish Defense Ministry, the military were to receive 6 new reconnaissance UAVs, as well as 3 ground control stations.

Karayel drone

In the past few years, Turkey has taken the direction of the development and manufacture of military products by its own industry. Therefore, the idea of ​​creating a Karayel drone by the Turkish military company Vestel Savunma Sanayi was as out of place. In the Turkish army, new drones were to replace Israeli-made Heron aircraft. In total, Vestel’s plans were to produce up to 50-60 UAVs of this type.

Today, Turkey is quite active in the field of creating its own unmanned aerial vehicles. In particular, based on the Anka reconnaissance drone designed by the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) company, it was planned to create a drone drone. In total, the Ministry of Defense of Turkey hoped to purchase Anka 10 drones.

Unmanned vehicles of this class are equipped with an 155 horsepower engine. According to the manufacturer, the drone is able to be in the sky for at least 24 hours, conducting reconnaissance from a height of up to 9 thousands of meters. The length of the apparatus 8 meters, wingspan - 17,3 meters. The device is able to reach speeds up to 220 km / h. Currently, these devices are equipped with only electronic-optical and infrared surveillance systems, but in the future, the UAV will receive satellite communication systems, electronic intelligence and a repeater signals. In addition, TAI expects to create an improved version of its apparatus, which is supposed to receive the designation Anka +. This version should be equipped with guidance systems and a variety of outboard weapons. This drone also suffered from the decision of the US authorities to refuse to supply the necessary military components to its ally in the NATO bloc.

Ankal drone

At the same time, Turkish drones are quite in demand, at least in the region. The Egyptian Ministry of Defense reported on its readiness in acquiring them in 2011. Preliminary negotiations on the supply of the Anka UAV ("Phoenix") were held back in September 2011 of the year during the visit of the Turkish Prime Minister to Egypt.

Tensions between Israel and the United States on the one hand, and most Arab countries on the other, in principle, can have a positive impact on sales of military equipment of Turkish production, including UAVs. Currently, the defense enterprises of Turkey produce about 15 various unmanned aerial vehicles of reconnaissance and tactical class. These include Anka, Bayraktar, Karayel and Efe. Some of them are produced in cooperation with foreign companies. The US decision to cancel the supply of Turkey with the necessary components for the production of reconnaissance drones may also be associated with the reluctance to strengthen competitor in the market of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Information sources:
http://lenta.ru/news/2013/12/06/uavs
http://pro-samolet.ru/blog-pro-samolet/692-turkeys-defense-ministry-to-buy-anka-uav
http://www.military-informant.com/index.php/airforce/2955-1.html
http://mk-turkey.ru/politics/2013/12/09/ssha-ne.html

Comments

[Siberian]

I wonder how technologically critical components are ... To develop your own analogues poorly?

[timeout]

The Turks have always had a very weak electronic base. They mainly use supplies from the UK and the USA.

[Engineer]

Laser target designators (LC) and sensors incl. an autonomous navigation and navigation system equipped with an autonomous inertial navigation system (ANS) is a critical technology .... which falls under US restrictions. The elite club for the production of autonomous ANNs includes ONLY USA France Germany and ... Russia. Turkey, China, Iran while smoking away from this topic ..... For reconnaissance and combat UAVs, it is important to have not just a glider, but to have a high-precision LC (with an accuracy of at least 1.5 meters at a distance of at least 12 meters) located on a gyro-stabilized platform (GPS) integrated with the ANN, which in turn is connected to the UAV fire control system (LMS) .....

[Witold]

You forgot to assign Israel to this "club", which has a lot of experience in this.

[Engineer]

Hmm .... I do not know autonomous high-precision inertial navigation systems (ANNs) produced in Israel with an accuracy of at least 0.03 deg .... The whole thing is the technology for the production of fiber-optic gyroscopes (FOG) with 0.002 deg / hour ... . Until I met scientific and technical work on VOG and high-precision ANN from Israel, and at arms exhibitions (such as IDEX) I did not see companies from Israel offering VOG and ANN ..... I would like to emphasize that you should not confuse the experience of building gliders for UAVs .... and flight and navigation systems. Undoubtedly, Israel has extensive experience in the development of strike and reconnaissance UAVs ... but it acquires an ANN in the USA from NG. This is the main limitation for the sale of UAVs with SLAs and ANNs for export to other countries .... including RF
For information: DARA is actively working on the topic of autonomous ANNs in the interests of the US Ministry of Defense .... at the first stage, the costs amounted to 25 US dollars .... By the way, the RF FPI put this topic also among the priority works .. ..
In the framework of this area, the Foundation develops and integrates advanced technologies aimed at creating qualitatively new weapons systems that provide the ability to effectively solve combat missions in the context of future wars: - development of high-precision autonomous navigation systems;
http://fpi.gov.ru/activities/areas/physics/745428438

[cth; fyn]

Along the way, all this is not casual, you see Syria there ... like Turkey next to it ... Yes, and Israel which the US is already pouring into the open (at least in-fu).

[Professor]

Today, Turkey is quite active in creating its own unmanned aerial vehicles.

And what is your own in this clone?

In general, the topic of Turkish UAVs deserves deeper coverage, everything is far from smooth there.

[ayyildiz]

Like in girona! Professor

[Professor]

Quote: ayyildiz

Like in girona! Professor

What did you want to say with this "detailed" comment?

[Engineer]

I agree with you. According to indirect information from the media, it follows that many Turkish companies associated with the military-industrial complex widely use products of Ukrainian manufacturers ....