RSF Militants Shoot Down Turkish Akıncı Drone Over Sudan

The Sudanese anti-government group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shot down a Turkish-made Akıncı strike drone.

This was reported by military observer Rich Tedd on X.

The drone belonged to the Sudanese Armed Forces and was hit in the area of the city of Dilling in South Kordofan state.

The type of weapon used has not been disclosed, but it was previously reported that a drone of this type was destroyed by an unidentified surface-to-air missile system, likely of Chinese origin.

This is not the first Akıncı loss in Sudan. The destruction of one of these drones was reported in January, and another in early October 2025.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have shot down another Turkish-made 🇹🇷 Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) operated by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) over the town of Dilling in South Kordofan, Sudan 🇸🇩. https://t.co/gF6AloUufu pic.twitter.com/aMmiIFMTiZ

— Rich Tedd 🛰 ✈️ (@AfriMEOSINT) January 24, 2026

In addition, throughout 2025, Akıncı strike drones sustained losses during combat operations in other regions, including Libya and Iraq.

Akıncı

Bayraktar Akıncı is a heavy, long-endurance, multi-role strike and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the Turkish company Baykar.

Work on Akıncı began in the mid-2010s as part of Turkey’s drive for technological autonomy in precision weapons and aviation. The aircraft made its first flight in December 2019 and was officially inducted into the Turkish Armed Forces in 2021.

Akıncı was designed as a heavier and more capable successor to the Bayraktar TB2, able to conduct both reconnaissance and strike missions and to employ long-range cruise and air-launched missiles.

The project was conceived with an emphasis on integration with Turkish fighter aircraft and on the concept of network-centric warfare.

Technical characteristics:

• Wingspan: ~20 m
• Length: ~12.2 m
• Maximum take-off weight: about 5,500 kg
• Payload: up to 1,350 kg
• Powerplant: two turboprop engines
• Cruising speed: ~250 km/h
• Maximum speed: up to 360 km/h
• Service ceiling: up to 12,200 m
• Endurance: up to 24 hours
• Control range: limited only by the SATCOM link