Turkish tech firm Robit Technology has developed a new multipurpose kamikaze drone called "Azab" with a long-range flight distance.
The delta-winged platform, which has a high payload capacity, passed all flight tests successfully.
Firing tests of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are planned to be carried out in the near future.
"We have done all the flight tests. We move on to ammunition tests. We will carry out ammunition tests in the coming months," Selçuk Fırat, product director at Robit Technology, told Anadolu Anadolu Agency (AA).
The ammunition tests are expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter of this year, Fırat said.
"We are ready for production. We will be able to meet future orders," he added.
Noting that different types of warheads can be integrated with the Azab drone, Fırat said it has two versions with wingspans of 2 meters (6.5 feet) and 1.5 meters.
"Azab with a 2-meter wingspan can carry up to a 15-kilogram (33-pound) payload," he said.
The device can be deployed in various modes, such as throw-and-forget, free-roam, or with the assistance of an operator who can direct Azab toward the target using its camera from a range of 200 kilometers. The device can also directly reach and destroy the target with the GPS coordinates provided.
Pointing out that special ammunition can be produced for Azab as well as use warheads already in the hands of security forces, Fırat stated that mortars, tank guns and RPG ammunition can be integrated into Azab very easily.
Emphasizing that Azab is a platform and that it can be shaped and used as desired, Fırat noted that there is no limitation in this regard, and that Azab can serve with piece-effect and fire ammunitions depending on the purpose.
Explaining that they have developed a 3-meter electric catapult to launch Azab T150, Fırat said that Azab T200 has a 6-meter catapult, and that it can be launched from a truck or container once the rocket system, which is still in progress, is completed.
Stating that they presented Azab to the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and received positive feedback, Fırat said, "The fact that a UAV with these features can achieve flight with the load it has, is not a point reached in Türkiye yet. It is the only one in its class in Türkiye. We also see great interest abroad. We had contact with two countries this week. It will be a good product for both our exports and our army," Daily Sabah reports.
