Turkish army to use indigenous machine gun-mounted drones
Iran Press TV
Thursday, 19 December 2019 11:10 AM
The Turkish military is set to use its first indigenous armed drones capable of firing automatic machine guns during what it says are counter-terrorism operations.
The Songar drone systems are equipped with automatic weapons and will enter service after a deal signed between Turkey's Defense Industries and the Turkish drone manufacturer Asis Elektronik, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.
"The drones will ensure the safety of Turkish security forces in the field during counter-terrorism operations, increase effectiveness by holding targets under fire, and supporting existing reconnaissance and surveillance tools," Anadolu said.
The 25-kilogram Songar has eight rotating blades, and its machine gun carries 200 rounds of ammunition and can fire single shots or 15-round bursts.
The Turkish-made drone is capable of staying aloft for 20 minutes when fully loaded and will operate at a minimum altitude of 3,000 meters.
Songar drone systems use cameras and laser rangefinders to calculate the distance to a target and are equipped with a flexible ammunition feed chute as well as an automatic firing mechanism.
The Turkish drone is also able to quickly replace its bullet compartment without human intervention.
Turkey expects the drones to be delivered before the end of the year.
The Turkish military is involved in patrolling the country's border with Syria and aims to purge the Arab country's northern Kurdish-populated region of Kurdish-led militants viewed by Ankara as terrorists.
In October, Turkey launched airstrikes on border towns, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilian people, as well as reports of human rights violations.
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