Turkish company Baykar announced that the Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aircraft hit a maritime target during a launch test using the supersonic İHA-300 missile, which is being developed by ROKETSAN. According to information reported by Anadolu Agency from the company’s statement, the target was located more than 250 kilometers from the aircraft.
The AKINCI took off from the Çorlu Flight Training and Testing Center in Tekirdağ province, then headed to the test area over the Black Sea. The launch was conducted off the coast of Sinop, where the İHA-300 missile made a direct hit on the maritime target before the aircraft returned to Çorlu along the planned route, according to the statement.
A New Addition to the Weapons System
The test represents a step in integrating long-range munitions with the AKINCI, following the completion of the integration of the supersonic İHA-122 and İHA-230 missiles onto the aircraft. Baykar says that integrating the İHA-300 increases the aircraft’s ability to conduct long-range strikes with a high destructive effect and expands its options against various types of targets.
The list of munitions that the company says have been integrated onto the AKINCI includes missiles and guided bombs from the MAM, TOLUN, TEBER, LAÇİN, LGK, and HGK families, in addition to the GÖKÇE and GÖZDE guidance kits, the ÇAKIR cruise missile, and the EREN loitering munition. The list also includes the İHA-122 and İHA-230 missiles, with different guidance, range, and warhead options.
What Changes in Practical Terms?
The test result, as reported by the source, shows that the AKINCI has become a platform capable of carrying a broader range of munitions, from shorter-range systems to the İHA-300 munition, which was tested at a distance exceeding 250 kilometers. This gives operators greater flexibility in selecting munitions according to the type of target and mission, rather than relying on a single weapon or a specific engagement range.
However, the confirmed fact here is the successful launch test and target hit, not an announcement of full operational readiness or the missile’s combat use. The text does not include details about the İHA-300’s precise speed, warhead weight, guidance mechanism, or the start date for deliveries and serial production. Therefore, these aspects remain in need of additional information from Baykar or ROKETSAN.
Baykar’s Export Context
Baykar linked the test to its export record. According to the figures included in the statement, the company’s exports reached $2.2 billion in 2025, while exports accounted for 90% of its revenues in recent years. It also said that it had signed export agreements for the TB2 aircraft with 36 countries and for the AKINCI with 16 countries, for a total of 39 countries, while continuing to lead the unmanned aircraft export sector during the past three years.
These figures were issued by the company itself, and the source provides no details about the countries that will receive the İHA-300 system or whether the missile’s integration is included in existing AKINCI contracts. Therefore, the test cannot be considered an announcement of a new deal or of the system’s availability for export.