Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has demonstrated a new twist in drone warfare: a combat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carrying other drones.
Footage released this week shows an Aksungur UAV flying with two Super Simsek multi-role drones mounted under its wings, turning the endurance platform into a launch carrier for smaller unmanned assets.
The test highlighted a growing concept in modern air combat: using larger drones as airborne deployers for expendable systems designed to strike, jam, or deceive enemy defenses.
A Drone That Launches Drones
The footage shows the Aksungur taxiing and taking off with one Super Simsek attached under each wing. Instead of carrying bombs or missiles, the UAV’s six hardpoints can now host powered unmanned systems.
While TAI has previously demonstrated Super Simsek launches from the stealthy ANKA III, integrating the drone with Aksungur suggests a broader ecosystem where multiple host aircraft can deploy the same air-launched UAV.
The current test appears focused on carriage and flight performance, likely paving the way for future live-release trials.
If operationalized, the setup would allow the high-endurance Aksungur to remain outside heavily defended airspace while deploying smaller, high-speed drones into contested areas.
From Target Drone to Combat Asset
The payload in the demonstration, Super Simsek, evolved from the earlier Simsek target drone, originally designed for air defense training.
In its newer form, the jet-powered UAV can carry various payloads for different missions. These include electronic warfare modules, radar and infrared signature enhancers to mimic combat aircraft, or explosive payloads for one-way strike roles.
The roughly 4-meter-long (13-feet) drone can reach speeds approaching Mach 0.85 and operate at altitudes of up to 35,000 feet (10,668 meters).
When air-launched, it can remain airborne for about 80 minutes and cover distances approaching 900 kilometers (559 miles).
Layered Drone Warfare
Pairing Aksungur with multiple Super Simsek drones opens several tactical options.
In suppression of enemy air defenses missions, the larger UAV could release waves of expendable drones toward hostile radar coverage.
Some might deliberately reveal themselves to trigger enemy missile launches, exposing air defense positions, while others could jam sensors or carry explosive payloads toward radar sites and command posts.
The concept reflects a broader shift toward distributed airpower, where networks of smaller unmanned systems complement larger platforms rather than relying on a single aircraft to carry out every task.
