Endless Possibilities: The Bayraktar Akıncı’s Multi-Role Weapons Loadout

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans

 

The Bayraktar Akıncı is 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 IIR-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 making of this list. 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)

• Roketsan Sungur IIR-guided MANPADS [8+km]
• TÜBİTAK SAGE Bozdoğan IIR-guided AAM [30km]
  
• TÜBİTAK SAGE Gökdoğan BVRAAM [~100km]
• TÜBİTAK SAGE Akdoğan AAM (Still in development. Specifically designed for UCAVs)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE Gökhan Ramjet BVRAAM ((Still in development)

Cruise Missiles

• TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-A [275+km] (Uses GPS/INS guidance) [HE fragmentation warhead for use against stationary targets]
  
• TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-B1 [275+km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR guidance) [HE fragmentation warhead for use against stationary targets)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-B2 [275+km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR guidance) [Tandem penatration warhead for use against hardened targets)
  
• TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-C1 [275+km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR guidance and datalink) [HE fragmentation warhead for use against mobile targets] (Still in development)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-C2 [275+km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR guidance and datalink) [Tandem penatration warhead for use against mobile hardened targets] (Still in development)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE SOM-J [275+km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR guidance and datalink) [Semi-armour piercing warhead for use against naval vessels] (Still in development)
• Roketsan ÇAKIR CR [150km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR/RF guidance and datalink) [HE/Thermobaric warhead for use against ground targets] (Still in development)
• Roketsan ÇAKIR AS [150km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR/RF guidance and datalink) [Semi-armour piercing warhead for use against naval vessels] (Still in development)
• Roketsan ÇAKIR LIR [150km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR/RF guidance and datalink) [Electronic warfare payload] (Still in development)
• Roketsan ÇAKIR SW [150km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR/RF/Swarm sensor guidance and datalink) [Semi-armour piercing warhead for use against naval vessels] (Still in development)
• Roketsan Atmaca [220km] (Uses GPS/INS/IIR/RF and datalink) [Semi-armour piercing warhead for use against naval vessels] (Still in development)
• Baykar KEMANKEŞ [200km] (Still in development)
• Baykar KaGeM V3 (Still in development)

 

Loitering Munitions

• STM ALPAGU [~10km range]
• Roketsan ALPAGUT [~60km range]
• TAI Şimşek [200km range]
• TAI Super Şimşek [700km range]

Precision-Guided Muntions (PGMs)

• TÜBİTAK SAGE TOGAN (GPS/INS guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced 81mm mortar round)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE Bozok [9km] (Uses GPS/INS/Laser guidance)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE KAYI 30 [25km] (Uses GPS/INS/Laser guidance)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE KAYI 50 [25km] (Uses GPS/INS/Laser guidance)
• Roketsan MAM-C [15+km] (Uses GPS/INS/Laser guidance)
• Roketsan MAM-L [15+km] (Uses GPS/INS/Laser guidance)
• Roketsan MAM-L +  [25+km] (Uses IIR and datalink guidance)
• Aselsan LGK-82 [12+km] (Laser guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)
• Aselsan LGK-84 [12+km] (Laser guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.84 bomb)
• Roketsan Teber-81 [28km] (GPS/INS/Laser guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.81 bomb)
• Roketsan Teber-82 [28km] (GPS/INS/Laser guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)
• Roketsan Laçin [28km] (GPS/INS/IIR guidance and datalink integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE GÖZDE [28km] (GPS/INS/Laser guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE GÖKÇE [28km] (GPS/INS/Laser guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.83)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE HGK-82 [28km] (GPS/INS guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE HGK-83 [28km] (GPS/INS guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.83 bomb)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE HGK-84 [28km] (GPS/INS guidance 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] (Uses GPS/INS/Laser guidance)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE Kuzgun-SS [40+km] (Uses INS/GPS/Laser/IIR/CCD-mmW radar guidance and datalink)
• Aselsan MİNBO Small Diameter Bomb [100km] (Uses GPS/INS guidance)
• Aselsan IIR Small Diameter Bomb [100km] (Uses infrared imaging guidance)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE KGK-82 [110km] (GPS/INS and wing guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE KGK-SİHA-82 [110km] (GPS/INS/Laser and wing guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.82 bomb) (Still in development. Specifically designed for UCAVs)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE KGK-83 [110km] (GPS/INS and wing guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced Mk.83 bomb)
• GIDS IREK (GPS/INS guidance integrated on a Pakistani-produced Mk.82)  
• GIDS Al-Battar 2000 (Laser guidance integrated on a Pakistani-produced Mk.83)

 

Precision-Guided Bunker Busters

• TÜBİTAK SAGE SERT-82 [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.82 penetrator bomb fitted with a GPS/INS guidance)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE SARB-83 [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.83 penetrator bomb fitted with a GPS/INS guidance)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE SARB-83T [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.83 thermobaric penetrator bomb fitted with a laser guidance)
  
• TÜBİTAK SAGE NEB-84 [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.84 penetrator bomb fitted with a GPS/INS guidance)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE NEB-84T [28km] (Turkish-produced Mk.84 thermobaric penetrator bomb fitted with a GPS/INS guidance)

 

Precision-Guided Air-To-Surface Missiles (ASMs)

• Roketsan UMTAS [8km] (Uses IIR-guidance)
• Roketsan L-UMTAS [8km] (Uses laser-guidance)
• Roketsan Cirit [8km] (Laser guidance integrated on a Turkish-produced 70mm rocket)
  
• TÜBİTAK SAGE Kuzgun-KY [40+km] (Uses INS/GPS/Laser/IIR/CCD-mmW radar guidance and datalink)
• IHA-230 [140+km] (Uses INS/GPS guidance)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE Kuzgun-TJ [180+km] (Uses INS/GPS/Laser/IIR/CCD-mmW radar guidance and datalink)

 

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. 

 

Special thanks to SR_71 and TurkishWarNews.

 

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