Unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer Baykar exhibited the mini smart cruise missile BAYRAKTAR KEMANKES for the first time as part of the festival.
Baykar Platform Engineering Team Leader Burak Özbek told Anadolu Agency (AA) that BAYRAKTAR KEMANKEŞ was developed to increase its offensive capability against strategic targets with Bayraktar TB2. Özbek stated that the missile can be integrated with Bayraktar TB2 as well as all other unmanned aerial vehicles they have developed.
Informing that the missile got its name from the archers who hit their targets in the most challenging conditions, Özbek said, "We named it KEMANKEŞ because we will achieve the same hit with our mini cruise missile." said.
Referring to the advantages that BAYRAKTAR KEMANKES will provide on the battlefield, Özbek said:
"With the laser-guided munitions we currently use, you need to approach the target and see the target. This puts you in the risk zone. Since we provide air-to-air communication with the TB2 or main platform aircraft in particular, KEMANKEŞ has achieved the ability to attack enemy elements from a much longer distance, even without entering the risky area. "
It is able to attack the target by processing images with its own gimbal system and artificial intelligence. It can also operate in electronic warfare environments with its own anti-interference GNSS systems. In this sense, I think the TB2 will increase its capabilities a lot."
Noting that they are at the stage of flight tests for the cruise missile, which they started to work on last year, Özbek noted that the flight tests continue and they aim to start mass production this year. Özbek explained that they plan to make the first shot within 1-2 months after TEKNOFEST, and then they will carry out motorized flight tests.
6 kilogram warhead, 1 hour hover
Burak Özbek gave the following answer to the question about the technical features of BAYRAKTAR KEMANKES:
"The total weight of KEMANKES is 35 kilograms. We have warheads weighing 6 kilograms. So when we think about it, it actually has a warhead weight similar to the ammunition carried by TB2. Therefore, the destructive effect will be similar to them. In addition, because it has a jet engine on it, it is a mini-gun. We can think of it like a cruise missile. The communication range I mentioned is
50 kilometers now, it will reach
100 kilometers in the future, but when we consider its own flight range, it can go up to
250 kilometers. It can stay in the air for about an hour. It can display all altitude, flight speed, temperature or target information, as well as the camera image. It transfers all of it to TB2 and descends to the ground control station of TB2. When we think about it, you already go a certain distance with TB2, in addition, when you go with KEMANKEŞ, we are talking about a very serious range of up to
400 kilometers."
- Bayraktar TB2's abilities will increase even more
Drawing attention to the abilities that Bayraktar TB2 will gain with KEMANKES, Özbek said:
"Since there is communication, we will be able to take images from a very long distance. You can think of it like another unmanned aerial vehicle directed by TB2 from a very long distance. We mentioned that it is laser guided for ammunition. For laser guidance, you need to see the target. Now you will be able to attack a target without even seeing it from TB2.
It will make the TB2 much more usable against very strategic targets behind enemy lines.”
