Turkey says it 'urgently' needs armed UAVs

Turkey's procurement agency is on a hunt for armed unmanned aircraft systems, which the nation needs 'urgently,' according to a report in Defense News.

The number of UAVs is unspecified, but the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) issued a Request for Information for what it called "an urgent requirement for the Turkish Air Force." The agency is seeking either medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) or high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) models.

SSM's announcement says the competition will be open to both local and foreign manufacturers.

Industry sources said SSM's move came as a surprise as a state-controlled aerospace powerhouse, Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), is striving to develop several versions of an indigenous drone, the Anka.

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