The General Manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), Mehmet Demiroğlu, made significant statements to SavunmaSanayiST at the IDEX Fair held in Abu Dhabi. Highlighting the progress made in unmanned aerial platforms, Demiroğlu shared critical insights into the future of the Şimşek and Super Şimşek projects.
The Evolution of Şimşek and Super Şimşek
Traditionally used as a target drone, Şimşek has been upgraded to perform kamikaze missions. “Şimşek has been in use for years, but we’ve added a new capability by turning it into a kamikaze drone,” Demiroğlu stated.
The Super Şimşek, a larger and more advanced version, stands out with its speed and payload capacity. “Super Şimşek can reach speeds of 0.85 Mach and carry payloads of over 50 kilograms,” he added.
Emphasizing the platform’s versatile potential, Demiroğlu explained that Super Şimşek could be launched in various configurations as a kamikaze drone, decoy, or electronic warfare platform from unmanned aerial vehicles like ANKA, AKSUNGUR, and ANKA-3.
Swarm Drone Technology on the Horizon
In addition to Şimşek and Super Şimşek, TUSAŞ is also working on swarm drone technology. Demiroğlu stressed that these next-generation drones will play a pivotal role in asymmetric operations on the battlefield: “Asymmetric platforms are becoming more prominent in combat zones. Swarm drone systems will fill this gap.”
A New Strategy Against Air Defense Systems
Super Şimşek’s mission isn’t limited to offensive operations it will also play a crucial role in deceiving air defense systems. “Super Şimşek can mimic aircraft like the F-16, F-35, or KAAN. Radars will mistake it for a real fighter jet and activate air defense systems,” Demiroğlu explained, highlighting the platform’s deceptive capabilities.
This strategy aims to expose enemy radar positions, enabling other kamikaze drones to strike their targets with pinpoint accuracy. “ANKA-3 and our other unmanned platforms will use Super Şimşek to neutralize air defense systems,” he summarized, outlining the future operational concept.
With these bold strides in UAV and drone technologies, Turkey’s defense industry is poised to become a game-changing force on future battlefields.
