ISTANBUL

The Bayraktar Akinci drone, one of Türkiye's prominent unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV), successfully completed a firing test with Turkish defense firm Roketsan's TEBER-83 Guidance Kit, defense giant Baykar announced on Thursday.

"Bayraktar Akinci successfully completed the first firing test of the TEBER-83 Guidance Kit developed by Roketsan," it said on X.

Haluk Gorgun, the secretary of Turkish Defense Industries, said on X that Bayraktar Akinci has added strength to the striking power of the “Sky Homeland” with its first firing test with the TEBER-83 guidance kit.

"Baykar and Roketsan once again demonstrated the strategic determination of the National Technology Move in the field," he noted.

Having successfully completed 100,000 flight hours in March, the integration process of national ammunition into Bayraktar Akinci continues successfully.

To date, Bayraktar Akinci has been equipped with many homegrown ammunitions and guidance kits.

Baykar's Akinci is one of the biggest high-altitude long-endurance UCAVs in the world and the first of three units of Akincis to enter service in 2021.

It can do operations that are otherwise done by fighter jets. It carries electronic support systems, dual satellite communication systems, air-to-air radar, collision avoidance radar, and synthetic aperture radar, according to Baykar.

It can also be used in air-to-ground and air-to-air attack missions.

Baykar has signed contracts with 11 countries for Akinci, which continues to serve effectively in many different parts of the world.