Baykar Enhances Akinci Drone Combat Power with Successful Roketsan Çakir Cruise Missile Strike Test
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On June 14, 2025, Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar successfully launched the Roketsan-developed Çakır cruise missile from its Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), marking a critical advancement in AI-driven strike capabilities. As reported by Selçuk Bayraktar, Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Baykar, on social media two days ago, this autonomous missile firing demonstrated Türkiye’s increasing mastery in integrating national munitions with intelligent UAV platforms. With the missile achieving a direct hit via autonomous target recognition and low-altitude navigation, this test confirms a pivotal transformation in Türkiye’s unmanned warfare doctrine.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The successful pairing of Çakır with Akıncı reinforces Türkiye’s shift from platform-centric to data-centric warfare, compressing decision loops and enhancing strike flexibility (Picture source: Baykar)
The Çakır cruise missile, designed by Turkish defense firm Roketsan, is a next-generation air-launched munition featuring autonomous guidance systems, low-altitude terrain-following capability, and a strike range exceeding 150 kilometers. Powered by the indigenously developed KTJ-1750 turbojet engine from Kale Arge, the missile weighs under 275 kg without a booster and up to 330 kg with one. It can be deployed from various aerial, land, and naval platforms, positioning it as a versatile precision-strike asset suitable for complex multi-domain operations.
Baykar’s Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV, operational since 2021, continues to evolve as a platform for advanced munitions. The recent Çakır missile test highlights not only a technical milestone but also a culmination of Türkiye’s broader defense innovation agenda. The missile’s ability to autonomously acquire and strike targets represents a major leap in the development of AI-integrated weapons, moving beyond remote control toward true machine decision-making in contested environments.
Compared to other UAV-launched cruise missiles within the 150 km range class, such as Israel’s Delilah or the U.S. AGM-176 Griffin when adapted to UAVs, the Çakır stands out for its multi-platform launch capability, enhanced electronic warfare resistance, and network-centric features. Combined with the Akıncı’s AI-powered onboard systems, this duo enables rapid response and high precision even in GPS-denied zones, an edge rarely matched by comparable platforms.
Strategically, this test underscores Türkiye’s intent to lead the transformation toward autonomous, AI-driven combat ecosystems. The successful pairing of Çakır with Akıncı reinforces Türkiye’s shift from platform-centric to data-centric warfare, compressing decision loops and enhancing strike flexibility. This capability strengthens national defense autonomy and projects influence across contested zones in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Caucasus, and potentially beyond, with implications for NATO interoperability and regional deterrence.
The successful autonomous launch of the Çakır cruise missile from the Bayraktar Akıncı marks not just a technological achievement but a doctrinal shift. Türkiye has demonstrated that it is not only capable of developing state-of-the-art strike systems but is also redefining how autonomous warfare will shape tomorrow’s battlefield. This milestone solidifies Türkiye’s position among the world’s leading innovators in AI-driven military capabilities.
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On June 14, 2025, Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar successfully launched the Roketsan-developed Çakır cruise missile from its Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), marking a critical advancement in AI-driven strike capabilities. As reported by Selçuk Bayraktar, Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Baykar, on social media two days ago, this autonomous missile firing demonstrated Türkiye’s increasing mastery in integrating national munitions with intelligent UAV platforms. With the missile achieving a direct hit via autonomous target recognition and low-altitude navigation, this test confirms a pivotal transformation in Türkiye’s unmanned warfare doctrine.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The successful pairing of Çakır with Akıncı reinforces Türkiye’s shift from platform-centric to data-centric warfare, compressing decision loops and enhancing strike flexibility (Picture source: Baykar)
The Çakır cruise missile, designed by Turkish defense firm Roketsan, is a next-generation air-launched munition featuring autonomous guidance systems, low-altitude terrain-following capability, and a strike range exceeding 150 kilometers. Powered by the indigenously developed KTJ-1750 turbojet engine from Kale Arge, the missile weighs under 275 kg without a booster and up to 330 kg with one. It can be deployed from various aerial, land, and naval platforms, positioning it as a versatile precision-strike asset suitable for complex multi-domain operations.
Baykar’s Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV, operational since 2021, continues to evolve as a platform for advanced munitions. The recent Çakır missile test highlights not only a technical milestone but also a culmination of Türkiye’s broader defense innovation agenda. The missile’s ability to autonomously acquire and strike targets represents a major leap in the development of AI-integrated weapons, moving beyond remote control toward true machine decision-making in contested environments.
Compared to other UAV-launched cruise missiles within the 150 km range class, such as Israel’s Delilah or the U.S. AGM-176 Griffin when adapted to UAVs, the Çakır stands out for its multi-platform launch capability, enhanced electronic warfare resistance, and network-centric features. Combined with the Akıncı’s AI-powered onboard systems, this duo enables rapid response and high precision even in GPS-denied zones, an edge rarely matched by comparable platforms.
Strategically, this test underscores Türkiye’s intent to lead the transformation toward autonomous, AI-driven combat ecosystems. The successful pairing of Çakır with Akıncı reinforces Türkiye’s shift from platform-centric to data-centric warfare, compressing decision loops and enhancing strike flexibility. This capability strengthens national defense autonomy and projects influence across contested zones in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Caucasus, and potentially beyond, with implications for NATO interoperability and regional deterrence.
The successful autonomous launch of the Çakır cruise missile from the Bayraktar Akıncı marks not just a technological achievement but a doctrinal shift. Türkiye has demonstrated that it is not only capable of developing state-of-the-art strike systems but is also redefining how autonomous warfare will shape tomorrow’s battlefield. This milestone solidifies Türkiye’s position among the world’s leading innovators in AI-driven military capabilities.
