Watch the Development of Turkey’s New UCAV
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A documentary on Turkey’s newest armed drone Akinci was released recently. The video documents the development of the unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) by the Turkish
Baykar Technologies. With the Akıncı UCAV, Turkey will become one of the three countries capable of producing this drone class. It is expected to provide high flight security with its fully automatic flight control and triple-redundant autopilot systems.
The prototype PT-1 made its second flight on Jan. 10, while the second prototype PT-2’s integration has recently been completed.
The UCAV, which can fly for up to 24 hours, has a maximum altitude of 40,000 feet with a 20-meter (65-feet) wingspan and a load capacity of 1,350 kilograms (2,976 pounds).
Akıncı’s maximum takeoff weight is 5,500 kilograms (12,125 pounds). It has two 450-horsepower engines but can be equipped with 750-horsepower engines or locally-made 240-horsepower engines.
Akıncı is equipped with a locally made AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar and Gökdoğan and Bozdoğan air-to-air missiles. It can also launch several locally-made ammunition, such as the SOM (standoff) cruise missile, for strategic targets.
The system can collect and store data from its sensors and cameras via six artificial intelligence (AI) computers. Capable of detecting land targets that cannot be seen by human eyes, the drone flies not with a GPS, but with its own systems, according to dailysabah.com.
