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Turkey Baykar
Bayraktar Akinci
A twin-turboprop, high-altitude long-endurance combat drone that scales up Baykar's Bayraktar family into a heavier strike platform capable of carrying air-to-air and precision-guided munitions. It gives Turkey an indigenous alternative to larger Western and Chinese strike UAVs.
In service since 2021 · 5 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-05
444
km/h
6,000
km range
12,192
m ceiling
1,500
kg payload
💲 ≈ $30,000,000, Publicly cited export system unit price estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Türkiye export-licensed
SSB-administered; growing export programme, some Western sub-component dependencies.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Established · 5 operators
In service since 2021. Status: active · ~60 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$75M – $105M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Bayraktar Akinci can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 444 km/h |
|---|---|
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 278 km/h |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 6,000 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 12,192 m |
| Endurance Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms, higher means longer persistent coverage. | 24 h |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 6 |
|---|---|
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 1,500 kg |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 12.3 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 20 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 4.1 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 3,300 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 6,000 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 0 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2 x turboprop (450 / 750 / 850 hp variants) |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Twin turboprop, tractor propeller |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | CATS electro-optical/infrared/laser designator turret, AESA radar (optional) |
|---|---|
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | LOS datalink, SATCOM |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $30,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 60 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 5 |
Specifications compiled from public Baykar and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-05.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper Head-to-head comparisons
Bayraktar Akinci vs
CH-5 (Caihong-5) 
Shahed-136 
Harop 
Lancet-3 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci has a maximum speed of 444 km/h.
What is the range of the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci has a maximum range of 6,000 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci can carry up to 1,500 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci weigh? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci has a combat weight of 6,000 kg.
How many crew does the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci require? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci requires a crew of 0.
What engine does the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci use? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci is powered by the 2 x turboprop (450 / 750 / 850 hp variants).
What is the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci used for? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci is a uav / drone typically used for isr, close air support, deep strike.
How many countries operate the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci is operated by 5 countries.
How much does the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci cost? +
The Baykar Bayraktar Akinci has an approximate unit cost of 30,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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