Turkish Bayraktar Akinci-B High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) set a record in flight at maximum altitude in Turkish aviation, reaching an altitude of40,170 feet (12.2 km). The record was set during a test held on March 11, 2022, Akinci-B underwent a successful flight test with upgraded engines that make it the most advanced platform in its class. Equipped with two engines of 750 horsepower (hp) each, the Ak?nc? B unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) stayed in the air for an hour and 16 minutes after it took off from the training and test center of its developer Baykar in northwestern Tekirdaq’s Çorlu district. A total of 1,500 hp makes it “the world’s most powerful and highest combat-capable unmanned combat aerial vehicle” in its class.
Bayraktar Akinci (Raider) is a HALE UCAV being manufactured by the Turkish technology company Baykar. The first three units entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces on 29 August 2021. The aircraft has a 5.5+ tons of Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) while 1350+ kg of this is composed by payload. The Akinci-B HALE UCAV model was developed by Bayraktar with local and national funds within the Akinci project and implemented under the leadership of the Presidency of the Defense Industry. Akinci-B UAV is powered by two engines of 750 horsepower or a total of 1,500 horsepower. It has a 20-meter (65-foot) wingspan with its unique twisted-wing structure and is equipped with fully automatic flight control and a triple-redundant autopilot system. After Akinci-B, an even more advanced model, Akinci-C, equipped with 950 hp each for a total of 1,900 hp, will soon be in the skies.
Akinci can carry various weaponry, including a range of missiles such as Smart Micro Munitions (MAM-L) developed by prominent Turkish contractor Roketsan. It can be equipped with the locally produced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and air-to-air missiles Gökdogan (Merlin) and Bozdogan (Peregrine). It is also to launch several other types of locally made munitions, such as the Roketsan-built Stand-Off Missile (SOM), a long-range air-to-surface cruise missile that can hit targets up to 150 miles (240 kilometers) away. Baykar says the Akinci can attack targets both in the air and on the ground. It can also operate alongside fighter jets and fly higher and stay in the air longer than Turkey’s existing drones.
The Bayraktar UAV or Bayraktar UCAV is a family of unmanned aerial vehicles designed and manufactured by Turkish company Baykar. Founded in 1986 with the aim of supplying the automotive Industry, Baykar has transformed itself into Turkey’s leading UAV and AI Company. The company has been led by Özdemir Bayraktar until his death and his sons – Selçuk, Haluk and Ahmet Bayraktar. Bayraktar Mini UAV was the first unmanned aerial system produced entirely with domestic capital included in the Turkish Armed Forces inventory in 2007. Having launched R&D activities for this purpose, Baykar has realized pioneering productions in its field and by producing subsystems, it has achieved to provide technical support to Turkish national defence industry, as the latter has grown and started exporting weapons including Baykar drones. Baykar’s portfolio of advanced UAVs includes Bayraktar Tactical UAS (Bayraktar TB1), Bayraktar TB2 UCAV, Bayraktar Ak?nc? UCAV.
