The large Turkish Akıncı UAV, which is equipped with a Ukrainian engine, was involved in the international exercises for the first time.

The Ministry of National Defense of Turkey announced this.

The drone with two Ukrainian AI-450 power plants was developed by the Turkish defense company Baykar Makina.

Dost ve müttefik ülkelerin katılımıyla Konya’daki 3’üncü Ana Jet Üs Komutanlığımızda gerçekleştirilen Anadolu Kartalı-2022 Eğitimi’nde ilk kez Akıncı TİHA da görev yapıyor.#AnadoluKartalı #Akıncı #TİHA pic.twitter.com/ZhlbgH9gg3

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) June 21, 2022

“For the first time, the Akıncı Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle is participating in the Anatolian Eagle 2022 exercise, which is conducted at the Konya Air Force Base with the participation of friendly and allied countries,” the Twitter message reads.

It was previously reported that the Turkish company Baykar has plans to set up the production of sophisticated Akıncı drones in Azerbaijan.

The aircraft company will also share with Azerbaijan the technology for producing these unmanned aerial vehicles.

In January 2022, the Turkish defense company Baykar signed the first export contract for the supply of Akıncı Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles. In May this year, Akinci made a non-stop flight from the European part of Turkey to Baku. The drone, having flown approximately 2,000 kilometers, successfully flew over three countries.

The drone is equipped with AI-450 engines that were developed by the Ukrainian state enterprise Zaporizhzhia Machine-Building Design Bureau “Progress” named after Academician O.H.Ivchenko. Last summer, they lifted the Akinci drone to an altitude of 11,500 meters. A press release from Baykar states that the drone was in the air for 25 hours and 46 minutes, which broke the record in Turkish aviation.

The demonstration of the Akinci drone prototype was conducted in 2018. It is claimed that it would be able to fly at an altitude of 12,200 meters and carry up to 900 kg of weapons on external suspension and up to 450 kg under the fuselage.

The heavy Akinci drone made its first flight in December 2019, after which test flights of its prototypes were launched under various programs.

The serial Turkish Akinci Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle made its first flight in May 2021.

The wingspan of the Akinci Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle is 20 meters, the maximum takeoff weight is 4500 kg. Expected flight time – up to 24 hours. Akinci’s range of weapons includes guided missiles and bombs, electronic reconnaissance, and combat systems.