TAI Şimşek

Development started in 2009, and a prototype was presented to the public at the International Defence Industry Fair the same year.{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xaqxrn_tai-yimyek-ynsansyz-hava-aracy_shortfilms#.URovyYYpTMc |publisher=Daily Motion |title= TAI Şimşek İnsansız Hava Aracı |date=8 October 2009 |language=Turkish |accessdate=2013-02-12 }} The UAV made its maiden flight on August 4, 2012.{{cite news |url=http://www.trthaber.com/haber/gundem/simsek-ilk-kez-havalandi-51403.html |newspaper=TRT Haber |title=Şimşek İlk Kez Havalandı |date=2012-08-09 |language=Turkish |accessdate=2013-02-12 }}

Şimşek simulates enemy aircraft and missiles for air-to-air, surface-to-air, anti-aircraft gunnery and missile systems’ tracking and firing training.{{cite web |url=https://www.tai.com.tr/en/project/simsek |publisher=TAI |title=Programs-UAV Systems-Target Drone Systems-Şimşek |accessdate=2013-02-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103193025/http://www.tai.com.tr/en/project/simsek |archivedate=2012-11-03 }} It looks like tactical air-launched decoys (TALDs).{{cite web |url=http://www.trdefence.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=375 |publisher=TR Defence |title=An overview of Turkish UAV R&D and production-TAI Simsek high-speed target drone |date=2010-11-21 |accessdate=2013-02-12 }}

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.

Payloads of TAI Şimşek consists of following features:

• 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.

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.{{Cite web|title=Türkiye 'Şimşek' ile dünyada bir ilke imza attı|url=https://www.trthaber.com/haber/gundem/turkiye-simsek-ile-dunyada-bir-ilke-imza-atti-501444.html|access-date=2021-03-26|website=www.trthaber.com|date=14 July 2020 |language=tr}}{{Cite web|date=2020-07-13|title=ŞİMŞEK target drone system integrated into ANKA UAV|url=https://en.defenceturk.net/simsek-target-drone-system-integrated-into-anka-uav/|access-date=2021-03-26|website=English Defence News|language=en-US}}

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{{TAI aircraft}}

• [http://www.turkmilitary.com/resim-turk-hava-kuvvetleri-3-insansiz-hava-araclari-271-digerleri-20-tai-simsek-18065.htm Launch image of TAI Şimşek]

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Category:Target drones of Turkey

Simsek

Category:High-wing aircraft

Category:Single-engined jet aircraft

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