Italy’s Leonardo enhances Türkiye’s Bayraktar AKINCI with cutting-edge European tech PHOTO

Italy’s aerospace leader Leonardo has equipped the Bayraktar AKINCI -Türkiye’s flagship unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) - with a suite of advanced European systems. 

Turkish defence manufacturer Baykar and Leonardo will jointly unveil two cutting-edge unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at the Paris Air Show. Showcased under the LBA Systems brand, the Bayraktar AKINCI and the Bayraktar TB3 will be featured in the static display area, marking a milestone in UAV innovation and European market integration, Caliber.Az reports, citing the message of the Turkish defence industry news outlet SavunmaSanayiST.com on X. 

ÖZEL HABER | Leonardo, BAYKAR ile iştiraki olan LBA Systems üzerinden Avrupa’ya gerçekleştirecek ihracatlarda AKINCI TİHA’nın yanında hangi ürünleri sunacak?

1. Dahili Sistemler

GRIFO-E AESA Atış Kontrol Radarı
LEOSS-T Elektro-Optik Sistem
ULISSES Denizaltı Savunma Harbi… pic.twitter.com/jgPwZHR6Uq

— SavunmaSanayiST.com (@SavunmaSanayiST) June 16, 2025

The Bayraktar AKINCI, a heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), will be presented with an extensive payload of advanced munitions, reflecting its versatile strike capabilities. 

Featured armaments include:

SOM and ÇAKIR cruise missiles

TOLUN smart bombs

Precision-guided mini munitions: MAM-L, MAM-T, MAM-C, and BOZOK

TEBER guided bomb kits and additional guided wing kits 

GÖKDOĞAN and BOZDOĞAN air-to-air missiles 

The İHA-230, a supersonic ballistic missile 

The Bayraktar TB3, optimized for naval operations with its foldable wing design, will also be displayed, showcasing its adaptability for aircraft carrier deployments and expeditionary missions. Leonardo is supplying a range of advanced onboard systems for the AKINCI platform, supporting its expansion into European defense markets. Under the LBA Systems partnership, the UCAV will integrate the following technologies:

Internal Systems: GRIFO-E AESA fire control radar

LEOSS-T electro-optical targeting system

ULISSES anti-submarine warfare suite

SDR SRT-800 software-defined radio communications

BRITE STORM electronic countermeasure system

IFF 428 Mode 4/5 friend-or-foe identification  

Payload Options:

OSPREY 55/30 AESA weather radar 

SEASPRAY 7500 AESA surveillance radar

GABBIANO T-80UL ISR/ISTAR 360-degree scanning radar 

SAGE ESM/ELINT electronic warfare and signal intelligence suite

SKYWARD IRST infrared tracking system

SIT 436 IFF advanced identification system

MAIR-A missile approach warning receiver

By Naila Huseynova