All about Turkish Songar drones used by Pakistan to attack India, It is designed for both…, can fly up to 3000 meters, has ability to…
India has said that the drones used by Pakistan in its failed attempt to target 36 military and civilian sites between the night of May 8 and the morning of May 9 were likely Turkish-made Songar models. During a press briefing on Friday, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh shared that early investigations into the drone wreckage pointed to the use of Songar drones, built by Turkey’s defence company Asisguard. A detailed forensic analysis is currently underway.
The Songar drone is Turkey’s first locally developed armed drone. It was unveiled in April 2019 and officially entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces in early 2020 after extensive trials.
Weighing up to 45 kilograms at takeoff, the drone can operate for around 35 minutes when not carrying weapons. It can fly up to 3,000 meters above sea level and about 300 meters above the ground. With a 5-kilometer operational range, Songar drones are designed for both day and night missions.
One of the key features of the drone is its ability to live-stream footage to ground operators. It is equipped with both a surveillance camera and a gun-mounted camera, allowing it to track targets and potentially engage them during flight.
The Songar supports both manual and autonomous flight modes and has a built-in safety system that sends it back to its launch point if communication with the controller is lost. It relies on GPS and Russia’s GLONASS for navigation.
Songar Drones: Weapons and capabilities explained
The Songar drone system, developed by Turkey’s Asisguard, comes in several versions depending on the kind of weapon it carries. According to the company’s official website, there are five main models:
- Assault Rifle Variant (5.56×45 mm)
- Twin Grenade Launcher (2×40 mm)
- Drum Grenade Launcher (6×40 mm)
- Mortar Gripper (3×81 mm)
- Tear/Smoke Grenade Launcher (8× grenades)
All versions are equipped with strict safety protocols that prevent them from firing until the operator gives the go-ahead.
The assault rifle version uses standard NATO 5.56×45 mm bullets and includes a recoil-absorbing system that helps keep the drone stable while shooting.
The basic grenade launcher model can shoot two grenades up to 400–450 meters. For higher volume attacks, there’s the drum version that fires six grenades at the same range.
Meanwhile, the tear gas or smoke version can launch eight grenades, which descend in a controlled way to ensure accurate targeting. These are designed more for crowd control or disruption rather than lethal impact.
How Songar drones are used in battle
These drones are built to work alongside troops or other drones in coordinated missions. They’re useful in many kinds of operations on land, at sea, or during special missions where stealth is key.
Thanks to their small size and quiet operation, Songar drones can be used to surprise the enemy without revealing where they’re coming from. Apart from attacking, they also act as scouts, sending live video feeds back to commanders to help track enemy movements and plan tactics in real time.
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