---
title: Heavy Twin-Engine UCAV Platform
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/aegis/turkey__heavy-ucav-twin-engine"
hub: aegis
summary: "Akinci twin-turboprop UCAV carries 1,350 kg payload with AESA radar, already exported to 6 countries and famously located the crashed helicopter of Iran's president in 2024."
---

# Heavy Twin-Engine UCAV Platform

Akinci twin-turboprop UCAV carries 1,350 kg payload with AESA radar, already exported to 6 countries and famously located the crashed helicopter of Iran's president in 2024.
- Technology Readiness Level: 9/9
- Impact: 4/5
- Investment: 4/5
The Bayraktar Akinci is Turkey's heavy-class unmanned combat aerial vehicle, featuring twin turboprop engines, 1,350 kg payload capacity, and integration of ASELSAN's MURAD AESA radar — making it one of the most capable UCAVs in production globally. The platform can carry cruise missiles, precision-guided bombs, and electronic warfare pods, operating at altitudes up to 40,000 feet with over 24 hours endurance.

Already in serial production and exported to six countries, the Akinci bridges the gap between the affordable TB2 and the jet-powered Kizilelma. It demonstrated its ISR capabilities dramatically in May 2024 when it located the crash site of Iranian President Raisi's helicopter. The platform serves as a testbed for ASELSAN's AESA radar technology, which has since been adapted for the Kizilelma and upgraded F-16s.

The Akinci positions Turkey in the heavy UCAV market segment alongside the Chinese Wing Loong II and US MQ-9 Reaper, but at a more competitive price point. Its AESA radar integration — a first for Turkish-made aircraft — represents a technology spillover that benefits the broader aerospace ecosystem, including the KAAN fighter program.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/aegis/turkey__heavy-ucav-twin-engine)