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| Turkey's Bayraktar AKINCI Drone |
Ankara - Bayraktar drones seem to be increasingly successful in expanding their wings in the world's defense technology industry. The reason is, now it's Bayraktar AKINCI's turn to break its own national flight record, even for the third time.
It is known that the Bayraktar AKINCI High-Altitude Long-Endurance [HALE] Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle [UCAV] can move it to an altitude of 45,118 feet (13,716 km). With this, AKINCI B is expected to soon join the Turkish Air Force.
Quoted from Bulgarian Military, it all started when the Bayraktar AKINCI, took off at 19:31 on June 22, 2022. The launch of this runway was carried out to carry out endurance, altitude and high-speed tests in front of the delegation of the Presidency of Defense Industry and Air Force Command.
However, what happened was that AKINCI B UCAV again broke the highest altitude record. Bayraktar AKINCI B, which rose to an altitude of 45,118 feet [13,716 meters] in testing, then returned to the Turkish commando training testing center at Corlu Airport after 20 hours and 23 minutes spent in the air flight.
Previously, the Bayraktar AKINCI A model Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, running with an engine configuration of 2,450 horsepower, broke the record by climbing to an altitude of 11,594 km in a test conducted on 8 July 2021. The Bayraktar AKINCI B model, on the other hand, reached an altitude of 12,243 km in March 11, 2022. Before the end, he could set his own record higher.
Bayraktar AKINCI B which reached a height of 45,118 feet on June 22, 2022, broke the altitude record for the third time. Quoted from Overtdefense.com, the B model from Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA is predicted to be twice as powerful as the AKINCI-A.
Just like its predecessor, the B model was also developed by Baykar as part of the AKINCI project led by the Presidency of Defense Industries. The Akıncı, which can fly for 24 hours and rise to an altitude of 40,000 feet, has a take-off weight of 6 tons and a cruising speed of 195 knots.
The drone has a payload capacity of 1.5 tonnes, advanced artificial intelligence and three redundant autopilot satellite communications systems. It can also be equipped with ammunition, missiles and bombs such as MAM-L, MAM-C, Cirit, L-UMTAS, Bozok, MK-81, MK-82, MK-83, Wing Assisted Guidance Kit (KGK)-MK- 82, Gökdoğan, Bozdoğan and SOM-A.
On his Twitter account, General Manager of Baykar Haluk Bayraktar said that the drone made by his company was even successful in the international arena. “Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA's export agreement with the two countries has been completed. After today's successful first flight of AKINCI B with 2x750=1500 HP, AKINCI C with 2x950=1900 HP will soon be launching into space," he tweeted.