Akinci UAS inducted into Turkish Army

A file photo of the Akinci UAS in Turkish Air Force service. The domestically-developed twin-engined UAS was inducted into Turkish Army service on 16 April 2026. (Baykar)

The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci armed unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has been inducted into service with the Turkish Land Forces Command (Türk Kara Kuvvetleri: TKK), the Ministry of National Defence (MND) announced on 16 April 2026.

The UAS that has previously been received by the Turkish Air Force and other Turkish state security organisations, as well as a number of export customers, was received by the Turkish Army as part of a wider modernisation of the country's armed forces with domestically-developed technologies.

“Akinci has been added to the inventory of our [Turkish] Land Forces,” the MND said, noting that the Akinci was a domestically produced system. It did not disclose how many systems or air vehicles had been received by the army, or their basing locations.

The Akinci is a twin-engine unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a maximum take-off weight of 6,000 kg. It can carry a 1,500 kg maximum payload that can include various air-to-surface missiles and guided bombs carried on its five hardpoints (it is also trialling the use of air-to-air missiles). Its sensor suite includes an Aselsan Common Aperture Targeting System (CATS) electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) intelligence, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) system, and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Janes All the World's Aircraft: Unmanned lists the Akinci as having a maximum speed of 195 kt, a range of 6,000 km, and an endurance of 24 hours.

For more, please see:Turkey takes delivery of Akinci armed reconnaissance UAVs

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