Turkey Advancing its Domestic Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle

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Turkey is progressing with the domestic development and manufacturing of unmanned combat capabilities. The third prototype for Turkey’s unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) Akıncı has completed its maiden flight, the manufacturer, Baykar, said in a statement.

Sharing the statement on Twitter, Selçuk Bayraktar, Baykar’s CTO said the Akıncı PT-3, the third prototype, successfully completed its first flight.

Akıncı is expected to be added to the Turkish security forces’ inventory later this year.

The drone can fly for 24 hours and has a service ceiling of 40,000 feet (12,192 meters), a 20-meter wingspan and the capacity to carry a load of 1,350 kilograms (2,976 pounds).

Akıncı will be equipped with the locally-made active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and air-to-air missiles Gökdoğan and Bozdoğan, and will be able to launch several types of locally made ammo, such as standoff missiles (SOM).

Earlier in mid-March, the UCAV’s second prototype passed a Developed System Identification Test.

The second prototype completed its first test flight last August, according to dailysabah.com.

Bayraktar said last month that the company will soon begin mass production of the domestically made UCAV.