New Akıncı PT-10 drone impresses with air-to-air, cruise missiles at Paris 2025 Photo / Video

LBA Systems, the joint venture between Türkiye’s Baykar and Italy’s Leonardo, unveiled its latest combat drone, the Akıncı PT-10, at the Paris Airshow 2025, drawing significant attention with its formidable weapons payload and advanced capabilities.

According to Army Recognition, the drone was showcased with an extensive array of armaments, including air-to-air missiles, cruise missiles, and precision-guided bombs, marking a clear shift towards multi-domain warfare centred on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Caliber.Az reports.

The Akıncı PT-10, flying under the LBA Systems banner, is a high-end HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) combat drone designed for precision strikes, aerial interception, anti-ship warfare, and battlefield support.

The displayed variant carried a versatile mix of Turkish-developed guided munitions: the SAGE BOZOK laser-guided missile for short-range precision strikes; MAM-series bombs for lightweight precision targeting; BOZDOĞAN and GÖKDOĞAN missiles for close and long-range air-to-air combat, respectively; KGK-82 guided bombs for ground targets; ROKETSAN ÇAKIR cruise missiles capable of engaging maritime and land-based targets; the SOM-J stealthy deep penetration missile; and the İHA-230 ballistic missile for hardened targets or mobile command centres.

This impressive arsenal enables the drone to conduct air interception, Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD), close air support, strategic deep strikes, and limited air superiority missions.

Operationally, the Akıncı platform has steadily evolved since its initial induction by the Turkish Armed Forces in 2021.

The PT-10 model represents a significant technological leap, developed jointly under the LBA Systems venture launched in early 2025 to merge Leonardo’s cutting-edge sensor, radar, and electronic warfare systems with Baykar’s mature combat UAV architecture.

In this new configuration, the Akıncı transcends its role as a regional tactical drone to become a modular combat system, designed for NATO integration and rapid adaptation in joint operations across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.

What sets the Akıncı PT-10 apart from comparable MALE or HALE UAVs such as the MQ-9B Reaper or Israel’s Heron TP is its comprehensive armament suite and system integration.

The drone is equipped with advanced mission packages and sensors: the GRIFO-E fire-control radar for targeting and tracking; the ULISSES system for anti-submarine warfare; multi-spectral guidance with LEOSS-T and SKYWARD IRST passive air threat detection.

Integrated with Baykar and Leonardo’s mission control systems — including the ATOS platform and custom payload interfaces — the PT-10 excels in situational awareness, target acquisition, and strike coordination.

Whether delivering long-range cruise missiles or patrolling maritime chokepoints, the drone is highly adaptable.

Strategically, the Akıncı PT-10 enables novel multi-domain operations using UAVs. Its air-to-air capabilities allow it to defend against hostile drones and helicopters. Armed with cruise missiles like ÇAKIR and SOM-J, it can threaten enemy naval vessels or strategic targets without entering contested airspace.

The İHA-230 extends its strike radius further, delivering high-speed ballistic-type attacks ideal for mobile high-value assets such as air defence systems or convoys.

Its laser-guided munitions enable precision strikes in urban environments with minimal collateral damage, making it well-suited for asymmetrical warfare and counterinsurgency operations. Few UAVs worldwide currently offer such mission versatility in a single platform.

In 2025, LBA Systems emerged as one of the most dynamic new players in the defence sector. Officially formed to integrate Leonardo’s avionics with Baykar’s UAV expertise, the partnership made a strong impression following the successful deployment of the Akıncı PT-10.

The Paris Airshow 2025 marked the first public demonstration of this integration, with several European and Middle Eastern nations reportedly expressing interest in the system for combined ISR-strike roles and hybrid threat response missions.

The Paris Airshow proved a landmark moment for LBA Systems as the Akıncı PT-10 showcased a fully armed, operationally capable platform able to intercept aerial threats, launch cruise missile strikes, and conduct real-time reconnaissance over land and sea.

LBA is positioning itself as a formidable contender in the combat drone arena, signalling the dawn of a new era in unmanned joint operations.

By Aghakazim Guliyev