Heavy UAV Manufacturing Bayraktar Akıncı: Progress and Potential Challenges

In 2018, the Turkish aircraft manufacturing company Baykar for the first time presented its promising project for a heavy reconnaissance and strike drone Bayraktar AkIncI. In December 2019, an experimental UAV of this type took to the air for the first time, and flight tests continued until the summer of 2021. On August 29 this year, a solemn ceremony was held for the adoption of the first unmanned complex. Now the development company is mastering the full-scale production of new equipment and is preparing to receive profitable orders.

Technical features

The goal of the Akinji project was to create a new UAV with reconnaissance and strike capabilities, characterized by improved flight performance and a relatively large payload. In addition, the project provided for a reduction in the number and share of imported components to the minimum required. In the early stages, they planned to do only with Turkish-made products, but in the end they still had to look for foreign partners.

Bayraktar Akıncı is an aircraft of normal aerodynamic design with a small swept gull wing. The engine nacelles are located in the wing breaks. The tail assembly is traditional, with a swept stabilizer and a keel. The design of the UAV allows the placement of target equipment and weapons inside the fuselage and on the external sling under the wing. Composite materials are widely used in the airframe design.

The first version of the project proposed the use of Turkish-made turbodiesel engines, but the selected products showed insufficient technical characteristics. In this regard, in 2018-19. the company "Baykar" began cooperation with the Ukrainian "Ivchenko-Progress", which offered turboprop engines AI-450T. These products have a take-off power of 450 hp. (no more than 350 hp in continuous operation) and are used in conjunction with five-blade constant speed propellers.

The length of the drone reaches 12,2 m, the wingspan is 20 m. The maximum take-off weight is 5,5 tons. Of these, up to 1350 kg is the payload. Equipment weighing up to 450 kg can be installed inside the airframe; suspended under the wing up to 900 kg weapons... The UAV has a maximum speed of 360 km / h at a cruising speed of 240 km / h. Range - 7500 km, ceiling - more than 12 km. The flight duration is over 24 hours.

To search for targets and use weapons, an optoelectronic "ball" and radar with AFAR are used. A modern digital control system was also applied, allegedly with elements of artificial intelligence. According to the developer, all the avionics of the new UAV are of Turkish origin. "Akinci" has six suspension points under the fuselage and wing, which can accommodate a variety of missiles and bombs, which are in service with the Turkish Air Force.

Production start

The first reports of the existence of the Akıncı project in 2018 were illustrated with a photograph from the assembly shop. It captured the fuselage of the first experimental UAV against the background of the assembled vehicles of the previous model TB2. As it became known later, the first experimental drone of the new model received the working designation PT-1. The assembly of this machine was completed in 2019, after which it was transferred to ground and flight tests.

In 2019-20. Baykar built two more prototypes. Products PT-2 and PT-3 began test flights in 2020. How much these machines resembled the first prototype is unknown. It can be assumed that they were built according to a revised design, modified taking into account the development and testing experience of the previous PT-1. In addition, the second or third prototype could become the benchmark for the subsequent series.

To date, the Turkish Air Force has issued an order to the developer for the serial production and supply of new Bayraktar Akıncı. The scope and cost of this agreement remains unknown, but implementation has already begun.

So, last year, the Baykar company started building the first serial UAV with the S-1 number. In May 2021, this device took off for the first time. After short factory tests, it was handed over to the customer. On August 29, the S-1 was put into service, which officially launched the operation of the new "Akinji".

According to the latest reports, serial UAVs S-2 and S-3 are already at the stage of factory tests. The second unit of the series has been flying since the end of September, and the third took off in mid-October. In the coming weeks or months, they will pass all the necessary checks and will be handed over to the customer. Apparently, serial production will not end there, and new samples will be released for flight tests in the near future.

Reportedly, the production of new equipment and components for it is carried out mainly by Turkish enterprises. In particular, all onboard electronics are of local origin - unlike the TB2 UAV, the release of which has recently been under threat. The dependence on imported engines also remains.

Engine issue

Despite all efforts, Turkish industry has not yet succeeded in developing aviation motor with the required parameters. In this regard, experimental and serial Akıncı are still equipped with a Ukrainian-made power plant. Moreover, this situation will persist for the next several years and lead to known risks.

The first Turkish-Ukrainian agreement of 2018 provided for the supply of 20 AI-450T engines. In the year the contract was signed, the first four engines were sent to the customer, six more were delivered in 2019, and the remaining 2020 were shipped in 10. Using the ordered engines, Baykar could build up to 10 new drones. Six UAVs, experienced and serial, have already been manufactured and are flying, and there are still four sets of engines in stock.

At the end of October, the Zaporozhye motor-building design bureau "Progress" them. Ivchenko ordered components for the manufacture of 30 AI-450T engines from Motor Sich. Products with a total value of more than $ 7 million must be delivered by the end of 2022.

The objectives of such an order are obvious. From the supplied parts, Ivchenko-Progress will assemble new theaters to be handed over to Turkish partners. Accordingly, Baykar will be able to build 15 more UAVs - or less, but with the creation of a stock of engines.

Successes and challenges

Baykar, in cooperation with local and foreign enterprises, was able to develop, test and bring to serial production a promising heavy UAV with high performance. However, the assembly of serial equipment began recently and is not yet distinguished by high topics. In addition, there are potential sources of serious problems in these processes.

So far, the "Baykar" company is building new "Akinci" only for the Turkish Air Force, and the exact needs of the Turkish army for such equipment are unknown. Existing agreements with Ukraine show that up to 22 serial UAVs can be built in the coming years, including three ready-made ones. Depending on the rate of production, they will be built no earlier than 2023-24. - and in the absence of problems with the supply of Ukrainian components.

The development company plans to bring its heavy UAV to the international market. Interest has been reported from some potential customers, but no actual negotiations are known. There are no contracts yet, and the timing of their appearance is in question. Perhaps the first export information will appear in the very near future.

Overall, Baykar has a right to be optimistic, but risks remain. Despite all the successes in the development of our own components, it has not yet been possible to create an engine with the required characteristics and it has to be purchased abroad. At the same time, Ukraine was chosen as the supplier, which is a very specific partner for international cooperation. It is not known whether the Ukrainian side will be able to fulfill all orders for engines on time and with high quality.

Thus, the newest UAV Bayraktar Akıncı has been successfully brought to mass production and put into service. Production is still going on at a limited pace, and in addition, it seriously depends on imported components. Time will tell whether it will be possible to increase the pace of construction and get rid of foreign engines.

Comments

[The leader of the Redskins]

He is beautiful.
Well, really, a beautiful aircraft.
Difficulties in mastering the series, of course, will arise. Personally, I do not know a weapon or weapon system that immediately became ideal in all respects.
To nod to Ukraine? Can. Although it is clear from the news that they are coping. Further from the thought that some fantastic orders for thousands of motors will follow.
A UAV is promising. Turks, whatever you say, well done ...

[OgnennyiKotik]

Best advertisement for this UAV:

[knn54]

- for the manufacture of 30 AI-450T engines.
The ceiling of 12 km at maximum load will be obtained with the 750-horsepower MS-500 from Motor Sich. The Thor will not reach it.
Remains "Shell C1". But the range of the complex is 20 km.
And the UAV has in its arsenal a high-precision gliding bomb MAM-T with a range of more than 30 km.

[KCA]

The MIG-25 reached a maximum flight altitude of more than 37 km, but this does not mean that the MIG-25RB could carry out bombing from such a height, from which there is confidence that Akinchi's maximum flight altitude is equal to the altitude of the use of high-precision weapons, especially free-falling bombs, which, by the way , and Thor and Carapace will spot and shoot down without any problems

[Holgerton]

1. The MiG-25RB was technologically limited by the characteristics of the sighting system and the means of destruction used, do not forget that this is an aircraft from the 1970s and even on Soviet electronics (therefore, you can forget about integrated circuits and any sane performance / miniaturization).

2. The height of the use of high-precision weapons is limited only by the sighting system, which gives out the CU and, again, by the characteristics of the ammunition.
MAM-T is not a free-fall, but a guided gliding bomb, for guidance there is an advanced OELS and radar with AFAR, which can build maps of the terrain in real time (now not every strategist / bomber / fighter-bomber can boast of this, let alone a MiG- 25RB).

3. To be able and to bet on intercepting the means of destruction, and not the carrier itself, is a deliberately losing tactic, especially when the bomb to be dropped costs $ 50-80-100k, and the prices for missiles start from 300-500k + $, depending on the version of the Patsir /Torah.
Plus, gliding bombs are still complex targets, for the destruction of which more than one missile defense system may be required, this must also be taken into account.
In such conditions, air defense systems find themselves in a very, very disadvantageous position, and this is if you do not take into account that more than one UAV can participate in the attack, and each will drop 6-12 such bombs.

[stankow]

The ceiling is measured with a minimum of fuel and no load. The engine will not help much - the issue of the lifting force of the cruise. With weapons, it is unlikely to rise above 2500 m.Even how will they get it ...

[Holgerton]

With max. the test load was 9900+ m, this was one of the last test flights.

And even if there were no reliable data from the tests, then your 2500 m would seem very underestimated.

[stankow]

Beautiful. But wobbly. And fragile.

[TermNachTer]

The Turks ordered 30 engines, but Kuev is Kuev, tomorrow a team will arrive from the Washington Reich Chancellery and ffsssёёёё)))) neither engines, nor spare parts, to those already supplied.

[Holgerton]

Yes, keep in touch (we will not remember your past unfulfilled predictions for Akinci), Washington listens to you attentively and appreciates your naivety))

[TermNachTer]

Initially, they were going to put a type of Turkish engine there - it did not grow together. To "bayraktar" Austrian engines are all too))) with what forecast I was wrong? As for Kuev, I will not even argue))) the President of Banderland is Christina Queen, Zenelokh is a clown with her.

[Holgerton]

So you have already stated more than once that:
1. No Ukrainian engines will be installed, since there are none.
2. The United States will be banned.
3. Will be limited to the supply of 10 engines.
4. To me, on a document with bmpd for 20 engines, they said that it was a "myth".
5. The US will be banned again.
6. Ukrainian engines in flight, as they are already making their own.
7. And now the US is banning it again.

There is, as it were, a reason to doubt your competence))

In bmpd, on the contrary, they believe that no one will prohibit anything, since the United States is more profitable than a failure to heat up the situation in the region for Turkey's money (for which Akinci is more than an excellent tool), plus Ukrainian engines, this is a guarantee that no advanced Western engines / technologies will sail away to the Turks, so it doesn't matter who is the president of the neighbors, what matters is that you "keep in touch" again)

[TermNachTer]

Do you know how to read well?))) I said that the United States can be banned at any time, and this is not at all what you write. Because I don't know what kind of cockroaches run in the skulls of the Gauleiters of the Reich Chancellery in Washington. But I have no doubt that they can do it if they want to. They "bent" the French, and there is nothing to say about the Banderlands. I will say more, the Turks ordered one AI-322 and one AI-25 TLK, for a heavy UAV, perhaps even a supersonic one - AI-322 allows. But I repeat, this is all still in Washington, they turn a blind eye. When they get bored, Allah alone knows, but they seem to be tired of Zeneloh, Erdogad is on the way)))

[Avior]

Cooperation in the defense industry is growing between Ukraine and Turkey.

[Erich]

What's bad about it? The country will decide for itself where and with whom it will establish contacts. Well done if they can negotiate. Miro is made up of chains of agreements and supply chains.

[pavlov viahislav]

Honestly, I don't really understand the function of this pepelatsa in the Turkish Air Force. The Bayraktar can also block the communications of the next Papuans with the shooting of individual armored units. Will it be used as a light attack aircraft? So the bomb load is too small, a breakthrough through a more or less normal air defense is also not for him. Meeting in the sky with any enemy fighter is a guaranteed loss of this UAV. It feels like it was created on the principle "I blinded you out of what was." Indeed, how can the beloved president's son-in-law create expensive garbage that is useless in a serious war?

[OgnennyiKotik]

Quote: pavlov viahislav

Honestly, I don't really understand the function of this pepelatsa in the Turkish Air Force.

Maybe then it is worth studying materials on this topic on the Internet? Read different opinions in various articles, compare with analogues, see what they do and what weapons and equipment are worth.
But no:

Quote: pavlov viahislav

Indeed, how can the beloved president's son-in-law create expensive garbage that is useless in a serious war?

[pavlov viahislav]

He cannot perform exterminatory functions, he cannot work as an attack aircraft, and is redundant for counter-partisan actions. It will cost at the level of a supported fighter-bomber of the 4th generation, while inferior in combat capabilities to it by an order of magnitude. To understand this, it is enough to look at the photo of this pepelats and get acquainted with the characteristics declared in the article. Reading advertising booklets without a minimum of knowledge in aircraft engineering and the combat use of aviation is more harmful than useful occupation.

[Thorvlobnor IV]

I wonder why, in your opinion, then in the Russian Federation they are feverishly trying to catch up with China, Israel, Turkey and the United States in the production of such drones, if they are so useless?

[pavlov viahislav]

They are not useless, they have a very narrow application niche. Turkey does not have its own ground attack aircraft, but it is involved in a number of serious regional conflicts, therefore it is trying to close the gap with surrogates in the form of various UAVs. The Russian Aerospace Forces openly treat the unmanned topic on a leftover basis, relying on manned aircraft.

[Thorvlobnor IV]

Turkey makes drones relatively inexpensive, which opens up serious export prospects for them. Countries with "guerrilla-chevakashnye" conflicts will line up for such weapons, because it has significant advantages over jet aircraft, helicopters and even turboprop "attack aircraft": there is no pilot risking his life; many hours of patrolling with reconnaissance and surgical precision strikes; satellite communications resistant to electronic warfare; cheap, in comparison with jet vehicles, maintenance.

[TermNachTer]

Relatively inexpensive are made by Yemeni Houthis. Turkish money is quite normal, although not as expensive as Jewish.

[Elturisto]

What is the Russian Federation trying to do? How is the feverish agony expressed - perhaps in the absence of proprietary engines, optical stations, or in the purchase of Israeli drones?

[Avior]

Do you know a fighter-bomber that can hang in the air for a day?

[ViacheslavS]

a breakthrough through a little - the slightest bit normal air defense is also not for him.

There are not so many countries with the slightest echeloned air defense, and in the zones of interests of Turkey, Syria, Libya, Iran / Iraq, etc., there is generally no air defense in question. Plus export.

[TermNachTer]

Nepotism and cutting the budget - no one will ever cancel)))

[voyaka uh]

He fights from a height, without entering the medium-range air defense zone.
And to spend on it S-300 and above is expensive, and they are not everywhere.
Launches UR or precision gliding bombs from afar. Can take under wings and a couple of kamikaze drones.

[pavlov viahislav]

In other words, it tries to duplicate the functions of a classic strike aircraft. At the same time, having a limited size of the suspension and a low bomb load, which reduces the effectiveness of the combat mission in comparison with the Turkish combatant F - 16 by about 3-4 times.

[voyaka uh]

But no one dies if he is knocked down. And this is an important factor.
In addition to the prestige (to shoot down a combat plane!), Humanitarian, there is also a financial factor: pilot training - millions of dollars.
Su-34 was shot down - what a resonance!
And everyone will forget about the shooting down of the drone tomorrow.

[Rome]

"It is expensive to spend S-300 and above on it, and they are not everywhere."
I think for the C300, etc. quite a worthy goal! it costs several million bucks, so it’s profitable to pull a million bucks into it. and in general, as the Americans say: thrifty soldiers do not win a warrior! if this UAV burns a couple of tanks, it is already more expensive than a couple of S300 missiles

[voyaka uh]

This is exactly what we have to do: they shoot from cannons at the sparrows.
Israeli air defense shot down high-altitude drones by Patriots.
There was nothing more suitable.
But it's good if the drone is one ...
And during intensive air raids, the S-300 (or Patriot) batteries are discharged onto the drones, and when the strikers arrive with a full supply of bombs / missiles, the installations are empty ...

[Thorvlobnor IV]

More powerful engines from Motor-Sich MC-500 (from 710 to 1000 hp, depending on modification) are also going to be installed on this drone.

[seeker of truth 777]

leading countries like the US and China are now focusing more on AI swarm drones and loyal wingmen. These large drones can only be used in moderate conflicts. It's just a catch-up project.

[Vadim237]

As a means of attacking medium-range air defense systems, it is the very thing - the armament of this UAV allows such a cruise missile SOM has a launch range of up to 500 kilometers, gliding bombs with a range of up to 200 kilometers are also envisaged, and in the future Turkey will have analogs of small-sized and stealthy GBU 39 of which this The UAV will be able to take 10 pieces - and then any air defense will have to work hard to shoot them down.

[Thorvlobnor IV]

And if three dozen drones made of shit and sticks, but with the same speed and radar signature, are added to the dozen attacking Akinji, then the air defense will be overloaded to the eyebrows with the task of selecting false targets.

[Elturisto]

Absolutely correct statement.

[Genry]

Quote: Torvlobnor IV

if you add three dozen drones made of shit and sticks to a dozen attacking Akinji

If you adjust your sticks to the characteristics of Akinji, then you will get this very Akinji. Did he think he was made of gold? Control systems, communications .... And fly empty?

Quote: Torvlobnor IV

Air defense will be overwhelmed to the eyebrows with the task of selecting false targets

Air defense chooses priority targets and this is enough for self-sufficiency (in the event of its destruction, although there is the possibility of self-defense using barreled anti-aircraft guns).
The remaining targets must be finished off by the next line of defense (longer-range air defense) or aviation.
The military economy determines the optimal air defense configuration.

[Thorvlobnor IV]

The reality is different from what you are describing. A small cheap drone on the radar can be indistinguishable from a large and expensive one if it is equipped with special radio signal reflectors. Inquire how air defense training targets can simulate targets from cruise missiles to bomber. And the simulator drone does not have to be fully equipped with electronics: it only needs to receive commands from the accompanied shock drone according to the "follow me" algorithm and stupidly repeat the "commander's" movements. At the right time, the simulator drone turns into a kamikaze and dives at a target, which the drone commander or ground spotter will illuminate with a laser.

[Genry]

Quote: Torvlobnor IV

The reality is different from what you are describing. A small cheap drone on the radar can be indistinguishable from a large and expensive one if it is equipped with special radio signal reflectors.

"And you didn't even notice the elephant."
A small, cheap drone will not be able to withstand the height and speed of a large and expensive one. Let its range be two times less (without returning home), this means that the size (without a payload) can be two times less - but not less, otherwise the ratios: wing_area / speed / engine_power / fuel_mass / takeoff_mass will be violated.
Optical the signature will be completely different and the rocket, seeing a higher priority target, can ignore the small thing.

Quote: Torvlobnor IV

At the right time, the simulator drone turns into a kamikaze and dives at a target, which the drone commander or ground spotter will illuminate with a laser.

Kamikaze drones will be relevant only where there will be no military equipment. A machine-gun automatic turret with an optoelectronic guidance system and ...

[seeker of truth 777]

I say that they are just catching up with world leaders, there is nothing innovative here. Everything I see there was made by the United States and China ten years ago. And the US and China have more interesting drones that Turkey cannot make.

[mitrich]

And in Israel.

[Genry]

Quote: Vadim237

As a means of attacking medium-range air defense systems, it is itself - the armament of this UAV allows such a cruise missile SOM has a launch range of up to 500 kilometers

Quote: Vadim237

As a means of attacking medium-range air defense systems

Up to 250 km. And there is no need to launch them from a UAV - a ground-based launcher is simpler.

Quote: Vadim237

gliding bombs with a range of up to 200 kilometers are also provided

Something you have everything to several times exaggerated.
200 km from a height of 10 km implies an aerodynamic quality of 20, which is typical of licked aircraft or gliders.

[Vadim237]

500 kilometers for the next SOM modification - and yes it is an air-to-ground weapon - what other ground launches are easier.
Something you have everything is exaggerated several times.
200 km from a height of 10 km implies an aerodynamic quality of 20, which is typical of licked aircraft or gliders. Nothing is exaggerated, for the same American bomb GBU 39, the gliding range is 110 kilometers and the EPR is 0.015 m squared if the radar sees it at a maximum of 15 - 25 kilometers.

[Genry]

Quote: Vadim237

500 kilometers for the next SOM modification

The next modification can be developed for a different carrier, have a different weight and dimensions, therefore, for this UAV it is not specific.

Quote: Vadim237

Nothing is exaggerated in the same American bomb GBU 39, the range of a gliding flight is 110 kilometers.

Is the difference between 200 and 100 exaggerated? A bomb with a bad wing will never fly like a glider.

Quote: Vadim237

EPR 0.015 m squared if the radar sees it for a maximum of 15 - 25 kilometers.

This is more than enough (usually from 10 km) to: deploy the anti-aircraft gun, capture the target, recalculate the parameters ...

[Nafanya from the sofa]

What life-giving advertising does. Pepelats with the performance characteristics of the II MB Ju-87 aircraft declared a super-super-underderwaffe "unmatched in the world", capable of winning any "miracle". And all this is based on several, "seemingly successful" sorties against who knows what in Nagorno-Karabakh. So far, only one thing is clear - the advertisement was made for 5+.

[teptyar]

advertising and we do! We shoot cartoons, carry models, but we can't go any further. Neither establish production at home nor find partners. Apparently it's not just advertising.

[Vadim237]

Yes, more than what you can not advance?

[teptyar]

We! We cannot advance.
further demo samples. production and replacement are not possible.

[Vadim237]

In Karabakh, there were not a few successful flights, but more than 180, and this is only Bayraktarov, and during these flights they destroyed hundreds of pieces of equipment, killed and maimed thousands of servicemen of the Armenian army. And this ad on 5+ was seen by everyone except you, apparently.

[Nafanya from the sofa]

during these sorties, they destroyed hundreds of pieces of equipment, killed and maimed thousands of servicemen of the Armenian army.

If you also explain where "hundreds of pieces of equipment and thousands of servicemen of the Armenian army" came from in Nagorno-Karabakh, then I will agree that this advertisement was seen by everyone except me.

[Albay]

If you also explain where "hundreds of pieces of equipment and thousands of servicemen of the Armenian army came from in Nagorno-Karabakh"

from the same place where the radar station and even the soldiers in general.
From Armenia.

[Old ensign]

Akinchi is a logical development of drones. Akinchi has a carrying capacity of about 1350 kg + satellite communications + electronic warfare. Akinchi can carry 500 kg of bombs. I think next year Ukraine will buy them and test them in Donbass.

[Lucy]

Read from
Ryabova Kirill and remembered the press secretary of Peskov, with his blizzard. Well, where from a kilometer of text ....... successes and potential problems?

[stankow]

You cannot combine U-2 and A-10 in one. Dividing the UAV into a pure reconnaissance and a shock one is the next step.

[Albay]

Dividing the UAV into a pure reconnaissance and a strike is the next step

This step has been taken long ago.

[Albay]

Production is still going on at a limited pace, and in addition, it seriously depends on imported components.

In addition to the engine, all other components are domestically produced!
Recently for the development of a new UAV in my jet
The Baikar company has signed contracts with 30 domestic companies. The only problem with UAVs for the company and Turkey is engines.

[outsider]

- This pterodactyl will actually have a very large EPR (in comparison with Bayraktar), if a special complex is not adopted not cheap measures to reduce it ...
For now, it seems that it will be easier and easier for the Russian (Armenian, etc.) air defense systems to shoot down ...

[Butchcassidy]

Is the flight range correct? 7 km?

[km-21]

Any weapon is effective only when the enemy has no means of counteracting this weapon. As for Bayraktars, they are quite vulnerable to serious air defense systems, therefore they are effective only in limited conflicts. And if you try to use them against a superpower, they will be destroyed not only on the battlefield, but also in the centers of deployment and control, and even directly in the places of production.
Moreover, along with the surrounding infrastructure ...