TURKEY’S AKINCI UCAV SUCCESSFULLY HİTS TARGETS WİTH ROKETSAN MUNİTİONS

Turkey’s cutting-edge unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) Akıncı successfully passed another test late Thursday, using munitions domestically developed by Roketsan.

Selçuk Bayraktar, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Baykar Makina, which produces the UCAV, shared a video on his Twitter account which showcased the successful shots fired by the combat drone with MAM-T, MAM-C and MAM-L smart micro munitions (MAM).

MAM is a laser-guided system produced by Turkey's domestic defense industry manufacturer Roketsan for armed drones, light attack aircraft and fighter aircraft.

MAM-C is the high explosive variant while MAM-L is the thermobaric one. The biggest of the bunch, MAM-T is the long-range variant.

The CTO in February said the company would soon begin mass production of the domestically made UCAV.

Akıncı is expected to enter the Turkish security forces’ inventory this year.

The drone can fly for 24 hours and has a service ceiling of 40,000 feet (12,192 meters), a 20-meter wingspan and the capacity to carry a load of 1,350 kilograms (2,976 pounds).

The Akıncı will be equipped with the locally-made active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and air-to-air missiles Gökdoğan and Bozdoğan, and will be able to launch several types of locally made ammo, such as standoff missiles (SOM).

The drone’s second prototype last month successfully completed the Developed System Identification Test.

It had completed its first test flight in August at the Çorlu Airport Base Command, in northwestern Tekirdağ province.

News regarding the UCAV’s entry into the inventory, as well as its mass production, has been closely followed by defense enthusiasts both in Turkey and abroad, thanks to the local drone magnate’s proven success with other locally made drones like the Bayraktar TB2.

This particular drone earned worldwide fame after it was operated in Syria, Libya and Azerbaijan, paving way for more export deals for Baykar.

Source: Daily Sabah
https://www.dailysabah.com/business/defense/turkeys-akinci-ucav-successfully-hits-targets-with-roketsan-munitions