By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
The Bayraktar Akıncı is the world's first production multi-role unmanned combat aircraft. Arguably the most innovative aspect of the Akıncı is its capability to use air-to-air missiles (AAMs), consisting of the indigenous Bozdoğan IR-guided AAM and the (fire-and-forget) Gökdoğan BVRAAMs. Another novel feature is the ability to use the 275+km-ranged SOM family of cruise missiles designed to be used against enemy command posts, SAM sites, hardened bunkers ships or any other target that requires a precision hit.
The SOMs will serve alongside the MAM, Kuzgun, Teber, LGK, KGK and (L)HGK family of precision-guided munitions. These munitions consist of indigenously designed guidance kits mated to locally produced Mark-82, Mark-83 and Mark-84 general purpose bombs. To accommodate these munitions, the Akıncı features up to eight underwing hardpoints and another one under its fuselage for a total of nine hardpoints. The latter is set to carry the heaviest ordnance cleared for carriage on the Akıncı, comprising the (L)HGK-84, the NEB-84 and the SOM cruise missiles.
It should be noted that the design and weapon integration tests of some of the armament listed below continues as of the writing of this article. This list should thus be seen as a complete overview of the Akıncı's weapon loadout once the several types of guided munitions have been verified for use from the new platform. The estimated range of the weaponry when deployed by the Bayraktar Akıncı is indicated in brackets.
(Click on the armament to see a picture of them)
Air-To-Air Missiles (AAMs)
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Roketsan Sungur MANPADS [8+km]![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE Bozdoğan IR-guided AAM [30km]![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE Gökdoğan BVRAAM [~100km]![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE Akdoğan AAM (Still in development. Specifically designed for use by UCAVs)
Cruise Missiles
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TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-A [275+km] (For use against stationary targets)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-B1 [275+km] (For use against mobile targets)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-B2 [275+km] (For use against hardened targets)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-J [275+km] (For use against naval vessels)
Loitering Munitions
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STM ALPAGU [~10km range]![]()
TAI Şimşek [200km range]
Precision-Guided Muntions (PGMs)
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TÜBİTAK SAGE TOGAN (GPS/INS guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced 81mm mortar round)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE Bozok [9km]![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE KAYI 30 [~9km]![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE KAYI 50 [~9km] ![]()
Roketsan MAM-C [8km or 15+km when using GPS/INS guidance]![]()
Roketsan MAM-L [8km or 15+km when using GPS/INS guidance]![]()
Aselsan LGK-82 [12+km] (Laser guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)![]()
Aselsan LGK-84 [12+km] (Laser guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.84 bomb)![]()
Roketsan Teber-81 [28km] (GPS/INS guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.81 bomb)![]()
Roketsan Teber-82 [28km] (GPS/INS guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)![]()
Roketsan Laçin [28km] (GPS/INS/IR guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE GÖZDE [28km] (Laser guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE GÖKÇE [28km] (Laser guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.83 bomb)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE HGK-82 [28km] (GPS/INS guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE HGK-84 [28km] (GPS/INS guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.84 bomb)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE LHGK-84 [28km] (GPS/INS/laser guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.84) ![]()
Roketsan MAM-T [30+km]![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE Kuzgun-SS [40+km]![]()
Aselsan Small Diameter Bomb [100km] (Uses GPS/INS guidance)![]()
Aselsan IIR Small Diameter Bomb [100km] (Uses infrared guidance)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE KGK-82 [110km] (Wing guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE KGK-83 [110km] (Wing guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.83 bomb)
Precision-Guided Bunker Busters
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TÜBİTAK SAGE SERT-82 [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.82 penetrator bomb fitted with a GPS/INS guidance kit)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE SARB-83 [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.83 penetrator bomb fitted with a GPS/INS guidance kit)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE SARB-83T [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.83 penetrator bomb fitted with a laser guidance kit ) ![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE NEB-84 [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.84 penetrator bomb fitted with a GPS/INS guidance kit)
Precision-Guided Air-To-Surface Missiles (ASMs)
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Roketsan L-UTMAS [8km] (Anti-tank guided missile)![]()
Roketsan Cirit [8km] (Laser guidance kit integrated on a Turkish-produced 70mm rocket)![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE Kuzgun-KY [40+km]![]()
TÜBİTAK SAGE Kuzgun-TJ [180+km]
For countries interested in buying the Bayraktar Akıncı the fact that all these guided munitions can be sourced directly from Turkey will surely be appreciated. Furthermore, the fact that the UCAV adheres to the NATO standards for munitions means that countries such as Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Pakistan can integrate their indigenously-designed munitions on the Akıncı as well.