WDS: Loaded Akinci shows off potential

Six months after the announcement, in July last year, that Saudi Arabia was set to acquire the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), one of the prototypes is on display at WDS. 

The Akinci on display is the seventh prototype, PT-7, showing off Turkish-made munitions. The Saudi order sees more than 70% of the drone being built in-country. (Image: Billypix)

Haluk Bayraktar, the Baykar chief executive, described the deal as “the biggest defence and aviation export contract in the history of the Republic of Turkey”.

It followed Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) notice in August, after the signing of several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Turkish defence companies, that up to 70% of the Bayraktar Akıncı built for the Saudi military would be produced in-country. One source at the show said the first Akinci should be delivered to the air force in 2026.

Three MOUs exist between SAMI and Baykar; another between Saudi Arabia's National Company for Mechanical Systems (NCMS) and Ankara-headquartered Aselsan, which makes the UAV's electro-optical system; and a third between NCMS and guided weapons manufacturer Roketsan, also based in Ankara.

After the aircraft’s first flight on 6 December 2019, the first three serial production examples were subsequently delivered to the Turkish armed forces in August 2021. The 20m wingspan UCAV on show is being displayed with several Roketsan 7-35kg MAM-C, 10-22 kg MAM-L and 70-95kg MAM-T smart munitions under the port wing, two twin-racks each with two Aselsan Tolun munitions on the centre pylon, and under the starboard wing is a MAM-C, MAM-L, alongside a 250kg Roketsan 250kg Tebir and Aselsan LGK 250 munitions.

Several other missiles are currently being integrated onto Akinci too, including the 230-600kg Som cruise missile and 70-250kg Cakir cruise missile.

The first Turkish indigenous air defence missiles, developed by Tubitak-Sage, will eventually be integrated, as will the within-visual-range Bozdogan (Merlin) and a beyond-visual-range Gokdogan (Peregrine). A new Aselsan active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar should follow soon, making the Akinci a formidable platform.

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