Turkish Drones to Fire Autonomously at Targets in Near Future

Turkish drones such as Bayratkar and Akinci will be able to fire at targets on their own in the near future.

“We will use these UCAVs and the ammunition they carry more effectively,” head of the Defence Industries Presidency (SSB), Ismail Demir said during an interview with Daily Sabah newspaper. In the upcoming period, the unmanned crafts will be capable of firing at targets on their own, he said without elaborating.

Buoyed by the success of its drones during the conflict in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey has intensified drone R & D including equipping them with artificial intelligence, increasing payload and precision targeting-ED

New drones to be delivered to the Turkish armed forces include the attack drone, Akıncı. Mass production of the Akıncı UCAV has already begun, and deliveries are set to take place throughout the year, according to Demir. The range and amount of time it can stay in the air will vary depending on the systems used on the drone, he said, adding it will be capable of carrying 1 1/2 tons of load.

The Akinci can fly for 24 hours at a service ceiling of 40,000 feet (12.19 kilometers). Akıncı is equipped with the locally made active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and air-to-air missiles Gökdoğan and Bozdoğan and can launch several types of locally made ammunition, including standoff missiles (SOM).