ANKA 3 Drone: Specifications, Payload and Stealth Claim

ANKA-III and ANKA Are Different Aircraft

The ANKA-III is an unmanned air-to-ground mission aircraft built by Turkish Aerospace as a separate airframe rather than a variant of the ANKA. Turkish Aerospace builds it with a turbofan engine and a flying-wing configuration. The manufacturer lists low radar observability as a feature and attributes it to that flying-wing design. In contrast, the ANKA is a medium-altitude long-endurance aircraft.

The ANKA-III operates at a 6,500 kg maximum takeoff weight and carries a 1,200 kg payload across two internal and five external stations. It reaches a 40,000-foot service ceiling and cruises at 250 knots at 30,000 feet. It has 10 hours of endurance at 30,000 feet, compared to up to 30 hours of endurance on the ANKA. Both airframes share a common avionics architecture and ground segment with the AKSUNGUR.

The two airframes differ on every published measure except their shared ground segment:

• Airframe configuration: The ANKA-III is a flying-wing airframe with low radar observability, whereas the original ANKA is a medium-altitude long-endurance aircraft.
• Propulsion: The ANKA-III is turbofan-powered and reaches a maximum speed of 425 knots (0.7 Mach) at 30,000 feet, while the ANKA has no published speed or engine type.

Published Technical Specifications and Flight Data

Turkish Aerospace publishes specific baseline performance limits for the ANKA-III across dimensions, payload, and speed. Turkish Aerospace designates it an unmanned air-to-ground mission aircraft.

Turkish Aerospace publishes the following figures for the ANKA-III:

Flight Test Record and Munition Integration

The ANKA-III programme moved from concept development to its maiden flight using artificial intelligence-supported modelling, simulation, and flight control software. Turkish Aerospace allocated nearly 250 engineers and technicians to design the airframe, drawing on 1,000,000 hours of institutional flight experience accumulated across the ANKA and AKSUNGUR programmes.

Ground propulsion validation began when the aircraft conducted its first engine run in 2023. The aircraft took to the skies for the first time on 28 December following the 2023 engine trials. During this maiden sortie, the aircraft completed a fully autonomous mission lasting over an hour, tested all systems, and ended in an automatic landing.

Following initial flight clearance, flight trials progressed into live-fire weapon separation tests. On its 12th sortie, the aircraft conducted a live strike test with the TEBER-82 Guidance Kit, scoring a pinpoint target hit. A subsequent test completed an ammunition run with the TOLUN munition. Flight trials expanded further when the second prototype also began test flights.

Low Radar Observability and the Flying Wing Configuration

Turkish Aerospace identifies low radar observability as a core characteristic of the ANKA-III. The manufacturer attributes this low-observable signature to its flying wing configuration.

Turkish Aerospace calls the ANKA-III an unmanned air-to-ground mission aircraft, one of several types of military drone it builds. A flying-wing shape is a design claim, not a measurement: Turkish Aerospace publishes no radar cross-section figure for the ANKA-III.

Internal Weapon Bays and External Payload Stations

Payload volume on the ANKA-III is distributed across seven dedicated stations consisting of two internal bays and five external hardpoints. It carries a total payload of 1,200 kg. This capacity accommodates precision-guided bombs, laser-guided rockets, and anti-tank missiles, alongside internal or external fuel tanks. Turkish Aerospace attributes significant payload capacity to the two internal stations.

Internal carriage keeps munitions out of the airflow and shields their shapes within the airframe. Hanging weapons or external fuel tanks on outside hardpoints instead adds exposed edges and irregular shapes to the aircraft. Turkish Aerospace publishes no radar cross-section figure and no per-station weight limits. This layout creates an operational trade between signature control and total weapon capacity.

Its electronic warfare suite supports communications intelligence (COMINT), electronic intelligence (ELINT), electronic support measures (ESM), electronic attack (EA) and communication jamming (ComJam). Turkish Aerospace lists the following operational support equipment:

• Satellite communication (SATCOM) and radio relay.
• Air-launched drones.
• Automatic Identification System (AIS).
• Personnel Locator System (PLS).
• Emergency Locator Beacon (ELT).
• Remote Video Terminal (RVT).
• Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).

Manned-Unmanned Teaming and Ground Segment Architecture

Turkish Aerospace lists a common avionics architecture and ground segment with the ANKA and AKSUNGUR among the core features of the ANKA-III. By sharing this architecture, an operator already flying family platforms can connect the airframe to existing ground infrastructure rather than standing up a separate control station.

Turkish Aerospace defines the ANKA-III as a key component of its unmanned vehicle family, built to meet operational theatre requirements through a ground systems partnership.

Manufacturer literature also lists manned-unmanned teaming and swarm technologies combined with artificial intelligence. Turkish Aerospace presents these teaming and swarm concepts as manufacturer capabilities rather than demonstrated or fielded operations.

Flying in formation directed from a crewed aircraft or coordinating multiple uncrewed aircraft in a swarm places demands on datalinks and autonomy rather than the airframe. Turkish Aerospace lists manned-unmanned teaming and swarm technologies as stated features, supported by common avionics and ground segments shared with ANKA and AKSUNGUR.

Unpublished Programme Metrics and Manufacturer Verification

Turkish Aerospace publishes no unit cost, procurement price or programme budget for the ANKA-III. The specific turbofan engine model and manufacturer name are omitted from the technical fact sheet, which designates the powerplant solely as a turbofan. Official documentation also omits specific foreign export buyers or operator air forces, stating only that the ANKA-III will be delivered to the Air Force Command within the planned timeframe.

When planning technical evaluations or assessing procurement timelines for fixed-wing drones, analysts must avoid third-party estimates for unit cost, radar cross-section, and total transit range. Readers who need to monitor flight-test milestones, formal induction schedules, or weapon certification updates should confirm the latest data directly on the official Turkish Aerospace ANKA-III product page.