The Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, which Baykar develops indigenously and originally as part of the AKINCI Project under the leadership of the Defense Industry Agency, successfully completed 50,000 flight hours.

ISTANBUL

9 April 2024

Developed indigenously and originally by BAYKAR, the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV passed 50,000 flight hours – yet another milestone in the history of Turkish aviation. Bayraktar AKINCI, for which Baykar signed export contracts with nine countries to date, continues its active service.

MAKING ITS MARK ON AVIATION HISTORY

Türkiye’s indigenous UCAV participated several unprecedented flights. It performed a close formation flight with Bayraktar KIZILELMA on 24 April 2023, which was a first in global aviation history. Bayraktar AKINCI completed another unprecented mission at TEKNOFEST 2023 by performing the same flight with Bayraktar KIZILELMA over Istanbul in front of the general public. Bayraktar AKINCI also performed a formation flight with a MiG-29 fighter jet during TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan in 2002, with Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar sitting in the cockpit, as well as formation flights with SOLOTÜRK, Hürkuş and the Turkish Stars aerobatic team at TEKNOFEST.

ALTITUDE RECORD HOLDER

Admitted into the Turkish Armed Forces inventory on 29 August 2021, the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV holds the altitude record in Turkish aviation history. It broke that record by climbing to 45,118 feet (13,716 meters) within the scope of endurance, high altitude and high speed tests conducted on 21 June 2022 in the presence of the Defense Industry Agency and the Air Force Command.

SERVICE IN THE DISASTER ZONE

In the immediate aftermath of the February 6, 2023 earthquake in Türkiye, the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV participated in search and rescue, coordination, safety and damage assessment missions despite inclement weather. Nine of the indigenous AKINCIs, which were the only aircraft to fly right after the earthquake, played an active role in post-disaster activities.

BULL’S EYE WITH INDIGENOUS MUNITIONS

BAYKAR continues to successfully integrate indigenous munitions into the Bayraktar AKINCI. The company has seamlessly tested MAM-L, MAM-T, MAM-C, Tolun, Teber-81, Teber-82, LGK-81, LGK-82, HGK-82, the Gökçe Precision Guidance Kit, the Gözde Guidance Kit, KGK-82-Armed UAV, UAV-230 Supersonic Missile, UAV-122 Supersonic Missile and the Çakır Cruise Missile within the scope of the UCAV’s further development. During the firing tests, Bayraktar AKINCI struck its targets with a broad range of indigenous munitions.

TOTALLY ACCURATE WITH SUPERSONIC MISSILES

Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV successfully completed its firing tests with supersonic missiles in March. Having taken off from the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu-Tekirdağ, the aircraft flew to Sinop for long-range firing tests. During the tests with Roketsan’s IHA-122 and IHA-230 supersonic missiles, the indigenous UCAV hit its targets in the Black Sea with complete accuracy.

WITH ÇAKIR FROM 100 KILOMETERS

Bayraktar AKINCI accurately hit its target from a distance of 100 kilometers in the Black Sea during a February 29, 2024 firing test with Roketsan’s Çakır cruise missile.

SURGICAL STRIKES WITH ASELFLIR-500

Within the scope of the February 22, 2024 test, Bayraktar AKINCI destroyed an Albatros Unmanned Surface Vehicle at sea with the ASELFLIR-500 Electro-Optical Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Targeting System – the world’s best electro-optical system in its class, developed indigenously by Aselsan.

AKINCI C AIRBORNE

During its February 24 tests, Bayraktar AKINCI C remained airborne for more than one hour as its aerodynamic parameters were successfully tested. AKINCI C will be the most effective and capable platform in its class with a total power of 1700HP (2x850HP). The Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV had completed its maiden flight on 6 December 2019 and was admitted into the inventory on 29 August 2021. More recently, Bayraktar AKINCI A (2x450HP) and Bayraktar AKINCI B (2x750HP) began to enter the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces as well as the inventory of Türkiye’s friends and allies, including Azerbaijan.

LARGEST AVIATION EXPORT

Baykar signed a cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense on 18 July 2023 in the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. The agreement was inked by Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Defense Minister Khalid Bin Hussein Al-Bayari. Under that agreement, Bayraktar AKINCI UCAVs will join the inventory of the Air and Naval Forces Command of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Türkiye thus completed its single largest aviation export.

ACROSS THREE COUNTRIES

Bayraktar AKINCI, which holds Türkiye’s altitude record with 45,118 feet, flew over three countries on its way to Baku in 2022. Taking off from Çorlu-Tekirdağ, the UCAV flew across Türkiye, Georgia and Azerbaijan. It had taken off from Batman to successfully hit targets in Izmir during the Efes 2022 military exercise.

EXPORT CHAMPION

Baykar, which has self-financed all its projects since its establishment, generated 83% of its total revenue with exports since launching its UAV R&D program in 2003. According to the Turkish Exporters Assembly’s (TIM) 2021 and 2022 data, Baykar became the top exporter in the defense and aerospace sector.

The Defense Industry Agency announced that Baykar was the top exporter within the sector in 2023 with $1.8 billion. Baykar, which generated more than 90% of its revenue from exports in recent years, single-handedly accounted for one third of the defense and aerospace sector's exports in 2023. Export agreements have been signed with a total of 34 countries –including 33 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and 9 countries for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV.