Türkiye to supply Saudi Arabia with strike drones worth $3 billion

The export price of the AKINCI attack UAV contract signed between Saudi Arabia and BAYKAR last week is more than $3 billion.

Making statements on the contract in question, defence industry head Haluk Görgün said, "The biggest export of the Turkish defence industry, is more than $3 billion."

According to Caliber.Az, SavunmaSanayiST.com reported this on its Twitter page.

According to BAYKAR CEO Haluk Bayraktar, the largest defence and aerospace export contract in the history of the Republic of Turkey has been signed between Bayraktar and the Saudi Ministry of Defence.

The Akıncı strike UAV has a high payload capacity and can use almost all the munitions available in the F-16 fighter's arsenal. Due to this feature, BAYKAR has exported the AKINCI UAV to 7 different countries. In addition, 30 countries have signed contracts for the Bayraktar TB2 strike UAV.

AKINCI UAV technical specifications:

o Communication range: LOS & BLOS
o Take-off and landing: runway (automatic)
o Payload 1,350 kg
o Wingspan 20 m
o Length 12.2 m
o Height 4.1 m
o Maximum take-off weight 5,500 kg
o Maximum speed 361 km/hour
o Cruising speed 240 km/hour
o Range 7,500 kilometres
o Practical ceiling 12,192 metres
o Operating altitude 9,100 metres
o In the air: 24 hours
o Payload: 1,500 kg
o Wingspan: 20 m.

Payload - ISR: simultaneous EO/IR/LD, multi-purpose AESA and SIGINT radar

Armament: laser-guided smart munitions, long-range missiles and munitions.

Propulsion type: 2 turboprop engines of 750 hp each or 2 turboprop engines of 450 hp each.