The Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) has successfully intercepted an airborne target during a recent air-to-air firing trial using the EREN high-speed multi-purpose loitering munition , marking another step in the platform’s expanding operational envelope. The test forms part of Türkiye’s ongoing effort to broaden the range of indigenous weapons integrated on its next-generation UCAV fleet. According to the manufacturer Baykar, the test sortie was conducted from the company’s AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Tekirdağ. The aircraft departed the facility and proceeded to a designated test range over the Black Sea, where the engagement was conducted off the coast of Sinop. During the trial, a target unmanned aerial vehicle launched from the ground was engaged and destroyed mid-flight by the EREN munition fired from the AKINCI. Following the successful intercept, the UCAV returned to Çorlu along its planned route. The demonstration highlights the continued expansion of AKINCI’s air-to-air engagement capabilities. The platform had previously carried out tests involving the KEMANKEŞ-1 AI-assisted mini cruise missile, also designed for aerial engagements. The latest trial with the Roketsan-developed EREN loitering munition indicates a broader concept of operations in which unmanned combat aircraft may deploy stand-off weapons against aerial targets, including other UAVs.
Multi-Role Weapons Integration
AKINCI’s development programme has focused heavily on multi-mission weapons integration, enabling the UCAV to operate across both air-to-ground and limited air-to-air mission sets. A wide range of indigenous Turkish munitions has already been tested or integrated with the platform. These include the MAM-L, MAM-C, MAM-T, TOLUN miniature bomb family, and the Teber-81/82 precision guidance kits, as well as larger guided bomb systems such as LGK-81/82, HGK-82, and KGK-82-UCAV. Additional payloads tested on the platform include the LAÇİN-82 precision kit, Gökçe and Gözde guidance kits, and stand-off strike weapons such as the UAV-230 supersonic missile, UAV-122 supersonic missile (with both TV and laser seekers), and the Çakır cruise missile. The expanding weapons inventory is intended to allow AKINCI to conduct strike, surveillance, and limited counter-air missions from extended stand-off distances.
Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV achieved a direct hit on an airborne target UAV during an air-to-air firing test conducted with the EREN High-Speed Multi-Purpose Loitering Munition. (Photo by Bayraktar)
Operational Service and Altitude Record
The AKINCI UCAV entered operational service with the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) on 29 August 2021 . Since then, the platform has undergone extensive testing and operational evaluation as Türkiye expands its indigenous unmanned combat aviation capability. In June 2022 the aircraft set a national aviation altitude record during endurance and high-altitude trials overseen by representatives from the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) and the Turkish Air Force Command. During those tests, the UCAV reached 45,118 ft (13,716 m), marking the highest altitude achieved by a domestically developed Turkish aircraft.
Export Performance and Market Position
Baykar states that it has financed its development programmes largely through internal resources and continues to expand its presence in the international unmanned aerial systems market. The company reported USD2.2 billion in exports in 2025, with approximately 90% of its revenues derived from overseas sales, reflecting strong demand for Turkish-developed UCAV platforms. Industry data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) and the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) indicates that Baykar has been the leading exporter in Türkiye’s defence and aerospace sector in recent years. The company accounted for roughly one-third of the sector’s total exports in 2023 and around one-quarter in 2024. Baykar has concluded export agreements with 37 countries across its unmanned aerial vehicle portfolio, including 36 customers for the Bayraktar TB2 and 16 countries that have ordered the Bayraktar AKINCI to date, reinforcing Türkiye’s position as a major supplier in the global UCAV market.
