A Brief Overview on Recently Exhibited Platforms During the International ANATOLIAN PHOENIX-2021 Exercise
International ANATOLIAN PHOENIX-2021 Exercise was performed between May 24 and June 4, 2021 at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command / Konya with the participation of military elements of Azerbaijan, Qatar, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Turkey.
At the Weapons Exhibition held in the static area during the Press and Distinguished Observer’s Day of the ANATOLIAN PHOENIX-2021 Exercise (May 31, 2021), HÜRKUŞ Air Ground Integration Aircraft (HYEU) which is to be officially delivered to the 135th Squadron Command within the 3rd Main Jet Base Command and the first S-70A BlackHawk Helicopter of the Special Forces Command equipped with ASELSAN product TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) also took place.
HÜRKUŞ HYEU Performed its First Demonstration Flight
While the HÜRKUŞ Air Ground Integration Aircraft (HYEU) – the new version of HÜRKUŞ - was exhibited at the static area within the exercise area, it performed a demonstration flight for the first time in such an exercise.
Making a statement during the exercise about the HÜRKUŞ HYEU, President and CEO of TUSAŞ Temel KOTİL said, “HÜRKUŞ HYEU will be used for training purposes, especially by the 135th fleet, during this exercise held with the participation of the commands of various countries. To make it clear, our aim with the HÜRKUŞ HYEU is to train air and ground elements. We want to contribute substantially to our Air Force Command with the HÜRKUŞ HYEU’s advanced systems and features.”
HÜRKUŞ Air Ground Integration Aircraft (HYEU), with tail number 17-105, exhibited in the static area and painted with the colors of the 135th MAK and IHK Squadron Command, is actually one of the 15 HÜRKUŞ-B Basic Trainer Aircraft previously produced for Air Force Command but the official acceptance of which yet to be made. Armed and equipped with the Star SAFIRE-380 HLD FLIR payload, the aircraft was classified as HÜRKUŞ-C. According to the information received, the 135th Squadron Command, which is still performing Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) and Attack Air Control (JTAC) duties, will receive 2 HÜRKUŞ HYEUs in the first stage, and while the concept is identified in the light of the experiences to be gained in the flights to be conducted, a series of modifications can be made on the other 4 HÜRKUŞ HYEUs as per the feedbacks to be received. We do not have any confirmed information regarding whether the Star SAFIRE-380 HLD (with laser targeting device on it) FLIR payload on the first aircraft will be used in the other 5 aircraft (the US Government has previously restricted its export for A-UAVs) or whether it will be replaced with a domestic product FLIR payload. The 135th Squadron Command will use the HÜRKUŞ HYEU to be delivered for JTAC trainings, thus eliminating the need to allocate F-16 and F-4E aircraft for these trainings as before. In order to perform effective JTAC duty, I consider that the image transmission capability has been added to the aircraft (for instant sharing of both the FLIR image and the coordinate information of the marked target with other friendly elements). In this context, I consider that the aircraft has Air Defense Radio Network (HSTA) System established by ONUR ENGINEERING for the Air Forces Command, ASELSAN product software-based 9681 V/UHF Air Radios that enable voice and data communication, and digital IDM-501 Data Modem that enables the transmission of the acquired image data over software-based radio. Air Forces Command currently has the capability of transmitting data over the radio; both ANKA-S A-UAV and Manned ISR aircraft (GÖREN ISR/IKU is able to transmit data/images to F-16s and F-4Es) can transmit the image to very long distances over the radio, and the 1F-6s with Sniper Targeting Pod through the data link device and relay on the pod (GÖREN ISR/IKU)
