Pakistan Becomes The First Known Customer of Baykar’s New Bayraktar Kemankeş Mini Smart Cruise Missile
The Pakistani government inaugurated the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP), which was built as part of the Aviation City project led by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The Pakistan Air Force Public Relations Department presented the mission, vision, and sections of the new facility in a promotional video released on their social media channels. The footage in question includes the Bayraktar Akıncı and Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles procured by Pakistan from the Turkish drone company Baykar Teknoloji, as well as the weapons ordered for use in these systems. Aside from the Roketsan production MAM-L, which has become an integral part of Akıncı and TB2, the company’s newest product, Bayraktar Kemankeş Mini Smart Cruise Missile, was also seen among these munitions. As a result, it was revealed that Pakistan is probably the first country to order the munition, which is still in the testing phase.
Another first at Pakistan’s National Aerospace Science and Technology Park was the debut of a new Winged Loitering Munition called “KaGeM V3” with the BAYKAR logo on it. This new munition, about which nothing is known at the moment, is a more advanced variant of the KEMANKEŞ Mini Smart Cruise Missile, the first member of the BAYKAR Winged Loitering Munition (KAGEM) family. According to the images, the “KaGeM V3” is quite large in comparison to the KEMANKEŞ Missile. Why the missile was disclosed at Pakistan’s National Aeronautics and Space Science and Technology Park (NASTP) remains unclear. Baykar Teknoloji, which took its place to start carrying out R&D activities in the aforementioned technology park, is most likely co-developing this new munition with Pakistan.
It was revealed during IDEX 2023, held in Abu Dhabi in February, that Baykar would produce a winged loitering munition for the first time, apart from producing armed and unarmed unmanned aerial vehicles. This product was referred to as “KAGEM” in the ammunition section of the AKINCI UAV brochure, which was displayed at the fair by BAYKAR. Later, this munition was unveiled for the first time during TEKNOFEST 2023 (Aviation, Space, and Technology Festival) at Istanbul Atatürk Airport in the category of mini-smart cruise missile under the name “Kemankeş.” About two months after the launch ceremony, the company announced that it had successfully completed the first test fires of the Kemankeş mini smart cruise missile.
According to the company, KEMANKEŞ, which can be launched from AKINCI, TB2 and TB3 drones, can fly autonomously with an artificial intelligence supported autopilot system, and can eliminate its target with precision even in harsh weather conditions by identifying its target thanks to the Artificial Intelligence Assisted Optical Guidance System. KEMANKEŞ, which can operate in both day and night conditions, is not affected by electronic jamming due to its Anti-jamming technology. KEMANKEŞ provides all line-of-sight communication with the platform to which it is connected. As a result, it transmits all telemetry data and camera images to the ground control station via the platform, allowing the data to be monitored.
With a length of 1.73 meters and a wingspan of 1.25 meters, the missile has a maximum weight of 30kg. KEMANKEŞ can carry a payload of 6 kilos and is fitted with a camera system with 2-axis stabilization, 36x zoom, and a laser rangefinder with a range of 2.8 kilometers. KEMANKEŞ has a reported endurance of 1 hour and a maximum cruising speed of 0.7 Mach thanks to its IL170 turbojet engine. The missile, which can be used at altitudes of up to 18,000 feet, will have an operating range of more than 200 kilometers.