TAI Keklik
TAI Keklik | |
---|---|
Role | Unmanned dronetracking target drone |
Manufacturer | Turkish Aerospace Industries(TAI) |
First flight | 1997 |
Introduction | November 2001 |
Status | In use |
Primary user | Turkish Armed Forces |
TAI Keklikis aradio-controlledtracking target droneintroduced in 2001. Designed, developed and built byTurkish Aerospace Industries(TAI), theunmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) is in use by theTurkish Armed Forcesfor target tracking in non-firing gunnery exercises.
Keklik is the Turkish word for "partridge".TAI produces other UAVs named after birds.
Overview
[edit]The Research and Development Department of theTurkish Ministry of National Defenceawarded a contract to TAI in August 1995 for the development of a low-cost training target drone for use by theTurkish ArmyandNavyin target tracking and non-firing gunnery exercises withanti-aircraft guns;and withradar-guidedandheat-seekinganti-aircraft missiles.It was also intended for training the operators of the much largerTAI Turnatarget drone.[1][2]
Development
[edit]The Keklik prototype was completed in July 1997, and it went in production in late 1999. Since November 2001, the Keklik has been in the inventory of theTurkish Air Forceand Turkish Army.[2][3]
The Keklik is propelled by an OS-MAX 91 FXtwo-stroke enginedeveloping 2.09 kW (2.80 hp), produced byGermancompany Graupner GmbH.[4]Thedelta-winged,robust and simple UAV takes off from a manually operated bungee catapult, and is recovered by a remotely controlled parachute on land or sea. The drone can be re-launched in 15 minutes. Thetractor typeaircraft is made ofcomposite materialand painted in bright colors for easy visibility.[2]
Specifications
[edit]Data fromTUSAŞ Türk Havacılık ve Uzaay Sanayii A.Ş.-Network 54[2]
General characteristics
- Crew:0
- Length:1.36 m (4 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan:1.61 m (5 ft 3 in)
- Height:0.32 m (1 ft 1 in)
- Wing area:1.05 m2(11.3 sq ft)
- Empty weight:7 kg (15 lb)
- Max takeoff weight:10 kg (22 lb)
- Powerplant:1 × Graupner OS-MAX 91 Fx2.09 kWtwo-stroke engine
Performance
- Maximum speed:150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)
- Stall speed:50 km/h (31 mph, 27 kn)
- Endurance:30 min
References
[edit]- ^"TAI Keklik (Turkey), Aerial targets".Jane's Information Group. 2012-01-04. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-02-16.Retrieved2013-02-02.
- ^abcd"Keklik"(in Turkish). TAI.Retrieved2013-02-02.
- ^"'Keklik' ve 'Turna' TSK'ya teslim edildi ".Hürriyet(in Turkish). 2001-11-10.Retrieved2013-02-02.
- ^"Aircraft engines - OS MAX 91 FX".Graupner. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-11-22.Retrieved2013-02-02.