Angola has recently purchased the Aksungur combat drone from Turkey, a move that is sure to bolster the country’s defense capabilities.
Angola will be the new user of AKSUNGUR Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), developed by Turkey, Ömer Yıldız, Deputy General Manager of TUSAŞ UAV Systems said this to CNN TÜRK last week. He also stated that 8 AKSUNGUR UAVs have been produced so far.
This state-of-the-art Aksungur unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been specifically designed for the purpose of providing aerial surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as the potential to carry out targeted strikes.
In 2021, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Angola requested to acquire Turkish-made combat drones. Angola’s initial request for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) was made during President Joao Lourenco’s visit to Turkey in August.
“In the last 19 years, Turkey has taken many steps in the field of the defense industry, which also struck Angola’s attention,” Erdoğan told a joint news conference with Lourenco in the capital Luanda.
Erdoğan stressed at the time that his country was ready to provide the southern African nation with all kinds of support. He underlined that Turkey would continue to support Angola in its fight against terrorism.
Last year, the Angolan Government announced that it will spend more than US$93 million on Turkish drones, as part of various cooperation agreements in the field of defense and security. A contract was later signed between Angola’s public company SIMPORTEX and Turkish Aerospace.
Designed by Turkish Aerospace International (TAI), Aksungur is a medium altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV with a high payload capacity, which makes it an ideal platform for ISR and attack operations. The Aksungur UAV is a variant of TAI’s Anka UAV. The fixed-wing unmanned aircraft features a twin-boom configuration. It has a length of 12.5m, a height of 3.1m and a wingspan of 24.2m.
The Aksungur UAV can be configured into three different mission variants, including surveillance and reconnaissance, ground attack, and maritime patrol versions. It comes with three different payload options integrating electro-optical (EO) / infra-red (IR) / laser designator (LD) / laser range finder (LRF) cameras, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) / ground moving target indication-inverse synthetic aperture radar (GMTI-ISAR) sensors, and a variety of air-to-ground weapons.
The Aksungur is equipped with a wide range of advanced features, including 360-degree camera coverage, a range of up to 150 km, and a maximum speed of 180 km/h. It is also capable of carrying a range of payloads, such as missiles, bombs, and other weapons. Given the Aksungur’s impressive capabilities, it is no wonder that Angola has chosen it to bolster its defense capabilities.
Each wing is fitted with three hard points, capable of holding a maximum weight of 500kg. The weapon payloads carried by the UAV are TEBER-81 (laser-guided Mk-81), TEBER-82 (laser-guided Mk-82), L-UMTAS, MAM-L (L-UMTAS guided-missile variant), Cirit, MAM-C (Cirit guided-missile variant), HGK-3 (precision guidance kit), KGK (82) (wing assisted guidance kit) and small diameter bombs.
The purchase of the Aksungur from Turkey is an important step forward for Angola. The country has a long history of conflict and instability, making it essential for them to have a strong defence. With the addition of the Aksungur, Angola now has an advanced weapon system to protect its citizens and assets.
The Aksungur is also a cost-effective solution for countries with limited defense budgets, making it an attractive option. Furthermore, given that the Aksungur is a product of Turkey, Angola will also benefit from the technological expertise and experience of the Turkish military forces.
The Aksungur is also sure to be an invaluable asset for Angola’s military forces. Its advanced features make it ideal for a range of defense missions, such as reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeted strikes. It is also equipped with an automatic target recognition system, allowing it to detect and identify potential threats. Furthermore, the Aksungur is highly maneuverable, making it well-suited for aerial operations. As such, the Aksungur is sure to be a valuable asset for Angola’s military forces.
Angola’s purchase of the Aksungur combat drone from Turkey is a strategic move that will bolster the country’s defense capabilities. This state-of-the-art UAV is equipped with a range of advanced features, making it an ideal tool for both surveillance and targeted strikes. It is also a cost-effective solution for countries with limited defense budgets.
Meanwhile, Algeria was first reported to be the first export customer to use Aksungur unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in North Africa after it ordered six of the drones from Turkey.
Although, Algeria may have later opted to procure the Anka-S+ in the interim, as the North African nation ordered ten Anka-S drones, while Chad another African country ordered two units of the type. For this reason, TAI is rapidly increasing the capacity of the ANKA production line.