Turkey begins assembly of MIUS ‘loyal wingman' prototype

The first MIUS prototype fuselage seen on the assembly line in images released by manufacturer Baykar Makina on 12 March. (Baykar)

Turkey has begun assembly of the Bayraktar MIUS (Bayraktar Combat Unmanned Aircraft System) ‘loyal wingman' prototype, images released by manufacturer Baykar Makina show. The images were posted to the company's official Twitter account on 12 March.

The existence of the MIUS was first unveiled in July 2021. MIUS will be a single jet-engined unmanned aircraft with a tailless, blended wing body design optimised for a reduced radar cross-section. The aircraft has two canards and two canted vertical stabilisers, but no horizontal stabilisers.

According to the company, MIUS will have 500 n mile operational range and 0.6 Mach top speed. The aircraft will have 6,000 kg maximum take-off weight, of which 1,500 kg will be payload. MIUS is expected to have a 35,000 ft service ceiling and a 5 hour endurance.

It will be equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and will be able to communicate in both line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight. MIUS will be able to land and take-off from short distances, such as the flight deck of the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Anadolu, which is expected to be commissioned into the Turkish Navy in 2023.

The MIUS's first flight is expected in 2023.