Turkish strike drone completes first carrier landing, takeoff

ISTANBUL — The Baykar TB-3 combat drone landed and took off from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship Anadolu for the first time this week, a demonstration that officials called a milestone for Turkey’s military capabilities.

Turkish drone maker Bayraktar publicized the Nov. 19 event on social media and shared videos of the flight. The tests were conducted off Aksaz Naval Base in the Mediterranean Sea.

The TB-3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) is specially developed for use onboard the Anadolu. The drone is 8.35 meters long and has 14 meter folding wings. It weighs in at 1,600 kilograms, with a payload capacity of 280 kilograms. The aircraft has a 125 knots cruise speed, and it is constructed with six hardpoints from which to hang ammunitions.

According to information shared by the company, the second prototype of TB3 took off from the runway of TCG Anadolu, which has a 12-degree inclined ramp. The UCAV landed after a 46 minute flight back on the ship without the need for any landing support equipment.

The TB-3 is powered by Tusas Engine Industries’ PD-170 engine. The takeoff and landing on the carrier followed more than 700 hours of test flight conducted on land.

Cem Devrim Yaylali is a Turkey correspondent for Defense News. He is a keen photographer of military ships and has a passion for writing about naval and defense issues. He was born in Paris, France, and resides in Istanbul, Turkey. He is married with one son.

伊斯坦布尔——本周，Baykar TB-3 战斗无人机首次在两栖攻击舰阿纳多卢号的飞行甲板上起降，官员们称此次演示是土耳其军事能力的一个里程碑。

土耳其无人机制造商Bayraktar在社交媒体上公布了11月19日的测试活动，并分享了飞行视频。测试地点位于地中海的阿克萨兹海军基地附近。

TB-3型无人作战飞行器（UCAV）是专为“阿纳多卢”号航母舰载机研制的。该无人机长8.35米，配备14米长的折叠翼，重1600公斤，有效载荷280公斤。其巡航速度为125节，机身设有六个外挂点，可用于挂载弹药。

据该公司透露，TB3的第二架原型机从TCG Anadolu机场的跑道起飞，该跑道坡度为12度。这架无人作战飞行器飞行46分钟后返回母舰，无需任何着陆支持设备。

TB-3 由 Tusas Engine Industries 公司的 PD-170 发动机提供动力。在航母上起降之前，该机已在陆地上进行了超过 700 小时的试飞。

杰姆·德夫里姆·亚伊拉利是《防务新闻》驻土耳其记者。他热衷于拍摄军舰，并对海军和国防议题充满热情。他出生于法国巴黎，现居土耳其伊斯坦布尔。他已婚，育有一子。