Bayraktar AKINCI launched ÇAKIR missile test has marked a turning point in Türkiye’s ambition to lead in AI-powered drone warfare. In a historic demonstration, the indigenous Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV successfully fired the Roketsan-developed ÇAKIR cruise missile, leveraging autonomous target acquisition and real-time strike capability.
Autonomous Targeting: The Next Frontier in Drone Warfare
This test was distinguished by AKINCI’s ability to independently detect, classify, and engage a target—without any operator involvement. Utilizing onboard artificial intelligence, the UCAV evaluated its environment and made combat decisions autonomously. This capability significantly enhances survivability in contested zones involving GPS jamming, electronic warfare, and denied environments.
Baykar’s technology reflects a new era where unmanned systems are evolving into fully autonomous strike platforms. With robust AI and sensor fusion, AKINCI is now one of the few aerial platforms globally capable of autonomous decision-making during real-time operations.
ÇAKIR Cruise Missile: A Game-Changing Strike Asset
The ÇAKIR missile, developed by Roketsan, brings multi-platform compatibility and advanced strike capability. Capable of targeting land and naval threats at distances exceeding 150 km, the missile incorporates:
- INS/GPS and IIR (Imaging Infrared) seekers
- Data link for mid-course updates
- Electronic warfare resilience
Its network-enabled structure allows for seamless integration with Türkiye’s growing array of unmanned and manned platforms, further enabling deep-strike precision operations.
Defence Industry Leadership Responds
“This is not just a successful missile test. It is a clear sign that Türkiye is mastering the full spectrum of advanced warfare technologies—autonomy, AI, and munitions integration. We are not just playing the game; we are redefining it.”
— Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of the Defence Industry Agency
“Autonomous decision-making in target selection is no longer a concept of the future. We’ve brought it into today’s operational environment through entirely domestic capabilities.”
— Selçuk Bayraktar, CTO of Baykar
Towards a Fully Networked Combat Ecosystem
Building on this successful integration of AI and advanced munitions, Baykar and Roketsan aim to expand Türkiye’s network-centric warfare capabilities, transforming the battlefield into an interconnected digital ecosystem. This shift represents a doctrinal evolution—from platform-centric to data-centric combat operations, where decision cycles are compressed, and sensor-to-shooter timelines are minimized.
- Swarm UAV coordination: Developing intelligent algorithms to enable multiple UCAVs to operate in coordinated groups, sharing tasks such as surveillance, electronic jamming, decoy deployment, and multi-vector strikes autonomously.
- Multi-platform live data sharing: Creating secure, encrypted communication layers that connect UCAVs, manned aircraft, ground stations, and naval assets in real time, enabling seamless joint operations and synchronized targeting.
- AI-powered mission adaptability: Empowering unmanned systems with real-time re-tasking and threat prioritization abilities, allowing drones to dynamically respond to battlefield changes without operator intervention.
These efforts will solidify Türkiye’s status not just as a producer of advanced drones, but as a strategic architect of next-generation warfare doctrine. By investing in AI, autonomy, and combat cloud technologies, Türkiye is actively shaping the global conversation on the future of autonomous and AI-integrated warfare, aligning its capabilities with NATO interoperability standards while carving out technological independence.
