TAI Şimşek
| Şimşek / Süper Şimşek | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Unmanned target drone |
| Manufacturer | Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) |
| Primary user | Turkish Armed Forces |
| History | |
| First flight | August 4, 2012 |
TAI Şimşek is a turbojet-powered radio-controlled high-speed target drone designed, developed and built by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) between 2009 and 2012 for the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces.
Şimşek is the Turkish word for "lightning".
Overview
Development started in 2009, and a prototype was presented to the public at the International Defence Industry Fair the same year.[1] The UAV made its maiden flight on August 4, 2012.[2]
Şimşek simulates enemy aircraft and missiles for air-to-air, surface-to-air, anti-aircraft gunnery and missile systems’ tracking and firing training.[3] It looks like tactical air-launched decoys (TALDs).[4]
TAI intends to further develop the drone into a cruise missile with "Human-in-the-Loop" (HITL) guidance capability for use against mobile or fixed soft targets.[4]
Payloads of TAI Şimşek consists of following features:[3]
- Passive Radar Cross-Section Augmenter (Luneburg lens)
- Passive IR Signature
- Miss Distance Indicator (MDI)
- Counter-measures Dispensing System
- Tracking Smoke Generator
The drone is launched from a catapult and recovered by parachute. It can take off and can be controlled from navy vessels.[3]
In July 2020 TAI launched Şimşek from TAI Anka integrated arm and made history by launching the target drone from UAV for the first time.[5][6]
Specifications
Data from Turkish Aerospace Industries TAI[3]
General characteristics
Performance
- Maximum speed: 740 km/h (460 mph, 400 kn)
- Endurance: 60 min
- Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
Şimşek-K
Şimşek-K presents the next generation of Turkish aerial target drones. Introduces for the first time at the IDEF 2025 it has two goals, act as a fast-moving enemy aircraft for training and be used as a kamikaze (suicide) drone.[7][8] On 22 August 2025, the Şimşek-K successfully completed its first rocket-assisted (RATO) ground launch and hit a ground target with a warhead.[7]
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Crew | Uncrewed |
| Length | 2.4 m |
| Wingspan | 1.5 m |
| Maximum take-off weight | 83 kg |
| Payload capacity | Up to 18 kg |
| Maximum speed | Mach 0.63 |
| Line-of-sight data link range | 150 km |
| Operational range | Up to 500 km |
Süper Şimşek
Süper Şimşek is a Turkish high-subsonic tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries. It is an advanced evolution of the earlier TAI Şimşek high-speed target drone, redeveloped into a multi-role, modular platform. Depending on configuration, it can perform air defence training target simulation, electronic warfare, radar jamming and deception, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and loitering munition strikes.
The system has a modular payload architecture and can be launched from ground-based rocket-assisted systems or air-launched from carrier platforms such as the ANKA, AKSUNGUR, and ANKA-3. It is designed for fully autonomous operation and supports AI-assisted swarm missions.[10]
Development
TAI launched the original Şimşek programme in the late 2000s to provide realistic high-speed aerial targets for Turkish Armed Forces training and weapons testing. The Süper Şimşek variant was developed as a larger and significantly more capable platform, featuring increased payload capacity, range, endurance, and mission flexibility for both training and combat roles.
The aircraft conducted its maiden flight in December 2023. In April 2025, it successfully completed air-launch tests from the ANKA-3 stealth unmanned combat aircraft as part of the Autonomous Loyal Wingman (OKU) concept. It has also been integrated with the AKSUNGUR platform. The system entered limited service with the Turkish Air Force in early 2026.[11][12]
Design
Süper Şimşek features a modular airframe that allows rapid reconfiguration for different mission profiles. It supports both ground-based rocket-assisted launch and air-launch from carrier aircraft. Recovery is performed via a parachute system.
Depending on payload configuration, the UAV can perform the following missions:
- Realistic target simulation and radar/infrared signature augmentation for air defence training and weapons testing
- Electronic warfare, including radar jamming and deployment of expendable countermeasures (chaff and flares)
- Suppression and deception of enemy air defences (SEAD/DEAD)
- Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) with Electro-optical sensor/infrared sensors
- Loitering strike missions using an integrated warhead
- AI-assisted coordinated swarm operations
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Crew | Uncrewed |
| Length | 4 m |
| Wingspan | 1.75 m |
| Height | 0.75 m |
| Maximum take-off weight | 200 kg |
| Payload capacity | Up to 50 kg |
| Powerplant | 1 × turbojet engine |
| Maximum speed | Mach 0.85 |
| Service ceiling | 35,000 ft (10,700 m) |
| Endurance | Approximately 80 minutes |
| Line-of-sight data link range | 150 km |
| Operational range | Up to 900 km (air-launched) |
| Launch methods | Ground rocket-assisted or air-launched |
| Recovery | Parachute recovery system |
[13] Payload options include radar cross-section and infrared signature augmentation devices, electronic jammers, miss-distance indicators, chaff/flare dispensers, electro-optical/infrared sensors, and integrated warheads.
References
- ^ "TAI Şimşek İnsansız Hava Aracı" (in Turkish). Daily Motion. 8 October 2009. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
- ^ "Şimşek İlk Kez Havalandı". TRT Haber (in Turkish). 2012-08-09. Archived from the original on 2012-08-11. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
- ^ a b c d "Programs-UAV Systems-Target Drone Systems-Şimşek". TAI. Archived from the original on 2012-11-03. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
- ^ a b "An overview of Turkish UAV R&D and production-TAI Simsek high-speed target drone". TR Defence. 2010-11-21. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
- ^ "Türkiye 'Şimşek' ile dünyada bir ilke imza attı". www.trthaber.com (in Turkish). 14 July 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
- ^ "ŞİMŞEK target drone system integrated into ANKA UAV". English Defence News. 2020-07-13. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
- ^ a b Nicanci. "Türkiye's TAI Debuts Şimşek-K Drone at IDEF 2025 Marking a New Phase in High-Speed Drone Training Capability". armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
- ^ Ozberk, Tayfun (2021-04-30). "Turkey converts Simsek training system into a kamikaze drone". Defense News. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
- ^ https://turdef.com/article/simsek-k-with-rato-capability-hits-target-with-warhead
- ^ https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/super-simsek-tactical-uav-system-turkiye/
- ^ https://turdef.com/article/anka-iii-releases-super-simsek-in-key-test-for-oku-concept
- ^ https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/savunma-sanayisi/anka-iiiten-super-simsekle-hedefe-basarili-atis/3531799
- ^ https://www.tusas.com/en/products/uav/target-drone-systems/super-lightning