Malaysia plans to deploy Turkish Aerospace Anka-S unmanned aerial vehicles and drones to conduct maritime surveillance operations in the South China Sea.
During an interview with Naval News at the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s booth at DSA 2024, the spokesperson stated that the production of the Malaysian Anka-S drones at Turkish Aerospace’s facility has begun.
Six RMAF personnel are currently in Turkiye to oversee the program’s progress.
The spokesperson declined to provide updates on the progress of Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel training on the Anka-S. However, they did mention that the program is progressing according to the predetermined schedule.
In addition, they refrained from providing any information regarding the potential schedule for acquiring more Ankas beyond the existing three under contract.
However, they acknowledged that the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is closely monitoring the progress of TAI’s development of the Anka-3 unmanned combat air vehicle.
A representative from Turkish Aerospace stated in response to a query from Naval News that discussions regarding potential supplementary acquisitions were still in the preliminary phase of intergovernmental negotiations.
In a recent interview, Turkish Deputy Defense Minister Dr. Celal Sami Tufekci confirmed that the Malaysian Anka-S order is proceeding as planned.
He spoke on the sidelines of the exhibition. According to Dr. Tufekci, they are installing the specialized equipment for the Malaysian configuration and training the Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel.,
TAI ANKA
TAI Anka is an unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. in line with the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces. The basic Anka-A belongs to the Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV class. Originally designed in the early 2000s for tactical surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Anka has evolved into a modular platform equipped with synthetic aperture radar, precision weapons, and satellite communication capabilities. It takes its name from the legendary mythical creature, the Phoenix.
Since entering service in 2023, TAI Anka has accumulated a total of 200,000 flight hours.
Source: Newsroom
