Bayraktar AKINCI, Baykar’s indigenously developed and original aircraft, has successfully surpassed 100,000 flight hours.

ISTANBUL
11 March 2025

The Bayraktar AKINCI Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV), developed indigenously and uniquely by Baykar as part of Project AKINCI—conducted under the leadership of the Defense Industry Agency (SSB)—has successfully surpassed 100,000 flight hours, marking a significant milestone in Turkish aviation. Currently subject to export agreements with eleven countries, the aircraft continues to operate with utmost effectiveness around the globe. 

LOCATED IRANIAN PRESIDENT’S HELICOPTER
On May 19, 2024, the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV played a crucial role in search and rescue efforts following a helicopter crash in Iran carrying President Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation. Departing from Türkiye, the aircraft swiftly reached the crash site, flying as low as 300 feet to locate the wreckage despite heavy fog, strong winds, and challenging mountainous terrain. Utilizing its night vision capabilities and advanced sensors, the Bayraktar AKINCI identified the helicopter’s coordinates and relayed them to Iranian authorities, successfully completing its mission—an operation that was tracked live by hundreds of thousands worldwide.

MAKING ITS MARK ON AVIATION HISTORY
Baykar’s indigenously developed UCAV has also participated in a series of groundbreaking flights. On April 24, 2023, the Bayraktar AKINCI performed a close formation flight with the Bayraktar KIZILELMA during tests in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, marking a first in world aviation history. The aircraft achieved another unprecedented milestone at TEKNOFEST 2023, performing the same formation flight with the unmanned fighter jet KIZILELMA before a live audience.
After performing a formation flight with a MiG-29 fighter jet—piloted by Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar—at TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan in 2022, the Bayraktar AKINCI went on to fly in formation with SOLOTÜRK, HÜRKUŞ, and the Turkish Stars at TEKNOFEST. Most recently, on May 22, 2024, the Bayraktar TB3 and Bayraktar AKINCI conducted a formation flight during the former’s deployment from Çorlu to Keşan.

FORMATION FLIGHT IN THE TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), two Bayraktar AKINCI Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), developed indigenously by Baykar, completed a historic flight. Taking off from the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Tekirdağ, the UCAVs covered a distance of 1,022 kilometers in approximately three hours before successfully landing at Geçitkale Airport. Cruising at an average altitude of 29,000 feet, the UCAVs put on an unforgettable aerial display, saluting the audience and performing a formation flight as part of the celebrations.

ALTITUDE RECORD HOLDER
The Bayraktar AKINCI has been operating with distinction since entering service with the Turkish Armed Forces on August 29, 2021. The UCAV also holds Türkiye’s national altitude record, reaching 45,118 feet during endurance, high-altitude, and high-speed tests conducted on June 21, 2022, in the presence of official delegations from the Defense Industry Agency (SSB) and the Air Force Command.

SERVICE IN EARTHQUAKE ZONE
Following the February 6, 2023, earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV played a vital role in search-and-rescue, coordination, public safety, and damage assessment efforts despite harsh weather conditions. As the only aircraft to fly immediately after the disaster, nine AKINCIs remained airborne continuously, actively supporting relief operations.

BULL’S EYE WITH INDIGENOUS MUNITIONS
Baykar continues to successfully integrate domestically developed munitions into the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV. To date, the company has rigorously tested a wide range of precision-guided munitions, including MAM-L, MAM-L TV, MAM-T, MAM-T IIR/TV, MAM-C, TOLUN, TOLUN IIR, Teber-81, Teber-82, LAÇIN 82, LGK-81, LGK-82, HGK-82, the Gökçe Guidance Kit, the Gözde Guidance Kit, KGK-82-SIHA, the IHA-230 Supersonic Missile, the TV Seeker and Laser Seeker-Equipped IHA-122 Supersonic Missile, and the Çakır Cruise Missile. Each of these tests resulted in resounding success, with the aircraft striking targets with pinpoint accuracy.
Drawing its offensive power from this extensive arsenal of indigenous munitions—designed to neutralize a wide range of threats—the Bayraktar AKINCI grows more effective and formidable by the day.

AKINCI C TAKES TO THE SKIES
During a test flight conducted on February 24, 2025, the Bayraktar AKINCI C remained airborne for over an hour, successfully testing aerodynamic parameter steps throughout its flight. With a total power output of 1,700 HP (2×850 HP), the Bayraktar AKINCI C is set to become the most effective and capable combat platform in its class.
The Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV completed its maiden flight on December 6, 2019, and officially entered service on August 29, 2021. More recently, the Bayraktar AKINCI A (2×450 HP) and AKINCI B (2×750 HP) have joined the inventories of the Turkish security forces, as well as those of Türkiye’s allies and friends—starting with Azerbaijan.

THE LARGEST AVIATION EXPORT IN TÜRKIYE’S HISTORY
On July 18, 2023, Baykar signed a cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The deal, signed by Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Defense Minister Khalid bin Hussein al-Bayari, related to Bayraktar AKINCI UCAVs entering service with the Saudi Royal Air Force and Navy Command. This agreement marked the largest single aviation export in Türkiye’s history.
Furthermore, on February 12, 2025, Baykar signed an agreement with Indonesia for the co-production of Bayraktar TB3 and Bayraktar AKINCI UCAVs, further strengthening Türkiye’s global defense partnerships.

FLEW ACROSS THREE COUNTRIES
Holding Türkiye’s national altitude record of 45,118 feet, the Bayraktar AKINCI flew across three countries in 2022 to reach Baku for TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan. Taking off from Çorlu, Tekirdağ, the aircraft traversed Türkiye, Georgia, and Azerbaijan on its way to the event.
That same year, the Bayraktar AKINCI also took off from Batman and successfully struck targets in Izmir during the Efes military exercise.

EXPORT CHAMPION
Since its inception, Baykar has carried out all its projects using its own resources. Since the start of its UAV R&D process in 2003, 83% of its total revenue has come from exports. In 2023, Baykar achieved $1.8 billion in exports, ranking among the top 10 exporters across all industries in Türkiye. As the world’s leading exporter of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Baykar maintained its global success in 2024, generating 90% of its revenue from exports and once again reaching $1.8 billion in export sales.

BAYKAR: THE WORLD’S LARGEST UAV COMPANY

Winner of the Champions of Export Award, Baykar was named the top exporter in the defense and aerospace sector in 2021, 2022, and 2023, according to data from the Defense Industry Agency and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM). In the previous year, Baykar accounted for one-third of Türkiye’s total defense and aerospace exports, and in 2024, it continued its dominance by single-handedly generating one-fourth of the sector’s total exports, helping Türkiye cement its position as a global leader in UCAV exports.
As the world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, Baykar has signed export agreements with 34 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and 11 countries for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, bringing its total number of export agreements to 36 countries.