Turkish delight in Saudi drone deal
Baykar's Akinci UAV. (Photo: Baykar)
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has signed a deal to purchase Akinci UAVs from Turkey’s Baykar in a significant boon for Ankara.
The Akinci UAVs will be used by the Saudi Air Force and Navy under a comprehensive agreement that will feature some joint production.
In a tweet, Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman said the new drones would enhance the readiness of the Kingdom's armed forces and bolster its defence and manufacturing capabilities.
The Akinci is a HALE UCAV manufactured by Baykar. Sometimes known as Uçan Balık, the UAV can be fitted with a range of ISR or strike payloads.
It adheres to NATO standards for munition integration, allowing any customer to fit its own domestically produced strike payloads.
The drone
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