Baykar’s New AKINCI UCAV Conducts First Live Firing at Sea Target

27.04.2022 Products

Baykar’s New AKINCI UCAV Conducts First Live Firing at Sea Target

On April 22, 2022, Turkey’s newest Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), the AKINCI, conducted its first live firing at a sea target.

In a video released by Baykar, the manufacturer of AKINCI, the sophisticated UAV engaged a sea target with an MK-82 bomb fitted with a TEBER guidance kit, Naval News reported.

According to SavunmaTR, a Turkish defense media, despite difficult weather conditions for using laser seeker munitions, the test was a success owing to the combined efforts of AKINCI and TB2 UCAVs. During the firing test, the Bayraktar TB2 performed laser designation on the target, and AKINCI dropped the TEBER-82 from a height of 20,000 feet. The bomb dropped by AKINCI rode the laser beam of the TB2 drone.

The event marked the first sea-target engagement of AKINCI unmanned aircraft, which is expected to enter service for the Turkish Navy in the following period. Here is the video of the event.

Bayraktar AKINCI is a high altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) (HALE) manufactured by Baykar. After the preliminary design phase was completed in June 2019, Akıncı began ground tests in August 2019 with a Ukrainian Ivchenko-Progress AI-450C turboprop engine.

The UCAV completed its maiden flight on Dec. 6, 2019, and its first firing tests on April 22, 2021, with the first three units entering service with the Turkish Armed Forces on Aug. 29, 2021. AKINCI is currently being actively deployed for counterterrorism operations.

With its unique body and wing design, the Bayraktar Akinci platform is defined as a strategic-class platform capable of carrying various payloads. It is equipped with dual artificial intelligence avionics that supports real-time signal processing, sensor fusion, and situational awareness.

The UCAV is capable of performing operations carried out by fighter jets. It has electronic support systems, dual satellite communications systems, air-to-air radar, collision avoidance radar and synthetic aperture radar.

Bayraktar AKINCI can also be used for air-to-ground and air-to-air attack missions. With its triple redundant electronics hardware and software systems Bayraktar AKINCI is capable of carrying the following payloads:

• Mini Smart Munition MAM-L

• Mini Smart Munition MAM-C

• Cirit Missile

• L-UMTAS Missile

• Mini Smart Munition Bozok

• MK-81, MK-82, MK-83 Guided Bombs (JDAM)\

• Wing Assisted Guided Bomb MK-82

• Air-to-Air Missile Gokdogan and Bozdogan

• Cruise and anti-ship missile SOM-A

Bayraktar AKINCI will be equipped with a multifunction AESA Radar system for air-to-air, synthetic, meteorology estimation.

Key Data:

Dimensions: Length 12.2 meters – Wingspan20 meters- Height 4.1 meters