Ukrainian engine manufacturer Ivchenko-Progress and Turkish UAV maker Baykar signed an engine supply agreement at Saha Expo last week for Baykar’s Akıncı. The amount was not declared. Igor Kravchenko, general director of the state-owned enterprise, told Defense Express that “20 engines have already been delivered and there is a new contract. We will supply more than 20 more engines”. The Akıncı has one engine under each wing.
The Turkish drone can fly at an altitude of 40 000 feet with 25 hours of endurance. The Bayraktar Akıncı UAV with Ukrainian AI-450T engines can carry about 1.4 tons of weapons. The first four AI-450Ts were delivered to Turkey in 2018, and another six in 2019. At the beginning of last year, Baykar received two more aircraft engines developed by Ivchenko-Progress. Probably during 2020 and this year, deliveries were continued, and the Turkish company received an additional eight engines ordered for Akıncı.
