The Turkish military has added another locally-produced armed drone to its fleet.
The new drone, the Akinci (Turkish for “raider”), is manufactured by local defense manufacturer Baykar. Turkey is already using another drone that was made by the company, the Bayraktar TB2. The Akinci is reportedly a stronger and more advanced system than the TB2.
The acquisition of the drones is in line with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stated intention of making the country’s military force more “self-sufficient.” He said that the latest addition has made Turkey “one of the top three countries in this technology.”
The Akinci Drone
The Akinci drone can attack both air and ground targets, flying alongside fighter jets at higher altitudes and for longer durations than the country’s current unmanned aerial vehicles.
Although Turkey is attempting to develop its local military production, the country is also collaborating in this arena with other countries. Earlier this month, Turkish Aerospace Industries signed a contract with Pakistan’s National Engineering and Science Commission to jointly produce Anka military drones.