One of the key achievements of the Turkish defense industry, the AKSUNGUR UAV, continues to attract international attention with its growing capabilities and versatile mission profile. Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in just 18 months based on the ANKA platform, AKSUNGUR is designed for a wide variety of missions, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike operations. Its high payload capacity makes it a highly flexible system that meets the needs of modern armed forces.

After successfully completing its first field mission in the second quarter of 2021, AKSUNGUR was quickly incorporated into the Turkish Naval Forces’ inventory. Equipped with a SATCOM payload, it offers beyond line-of-sight operational capability, providing significant advantages for long-range missions. The UAV has been used with different payloads both domestically and abroad, and has already been exported to three countries, while negotiations with several others are ongoing.

One of AKSUNGUR’s most notable achievements is surpassing 20,000 flight hours, a milestone that demonstrates the maturity and effectiveness of Turkish UAV technology. Another major advancement is the integration of the indigenous TEI-PD170 turbodiesel aviation engine, developed by TUSAŞ Engine Industries (TEI). In endurance tests with the new engine, AKSUNGUR achieved a record-breaking 41-hour nonstop flight, further proving its reliability and technological edge.

With plans to officially enter the Turkish Armed Forces inventory powered by the domestic engine, AKSUNGUR is set to provide long-duration reconnaissance and strike capabilities under all weather conditions. Its growing export success highlights its role not only as a symbol of Turkey’s defense achievements but also as a competitive product in the global UAV market. AKSUNGUR is increasingly regarded as one of the strongest indicators of Turkey’s emergence as a global player in defense technologies.