'Bankrupt' Pakistan continues to spend big on defence; procures high-end Turkish combat drones

Its economy may be on the brink of collapse with inflation soaring past 35 per cent but that does not deter Pakistan from spending more on its military weapons and equipment. Proof of that is Islamabad's procurement of Turkish Baykar Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) for its Air Force. Islamabad recently received the delivery of the first batch of UCAVs.

Last year, over 40 Pakistan Air Force personnel had received hands-on training on using the Akinci combat drones along with their counterparts from Azerbaijan, in Turkey. However, the quantity of drones procured has not been revealed yet. 

The cutting-edge combat drone Akinci, which means 'Raider' in Turkish, is a high-altitude long endurance (HALE) drone, capable of firing air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles. Flight-tested in 2021, the Akinci drone was delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces in the same year.

The drone has a length of 12.2 meters, a height of 4.1 meters, and 20 meters in width. It carries a maximum payload of 1,350 kilograms and a flight ceiling of 40,000 feet. It gathers and processes the data from onboard sensors and cameras using artificial intelligence features.

Missiles like Cirit, mini-smart munition Bozok, long-range anti-tank missile system (L-UMTAS) missiles, MK-81, MK-82, and MK-83 guided bombs (JDAM) can be fired from this drone. It can also be equipped with Gokdogan and Bozdogan air-to-air missiles, wing-assisted and SOM-A stand-off missiles. 

Presently, the Akıncı drone is being operated by the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and the Turkish Armed Forces. As of date, the Akıncı has been supplied to five countries, including Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Kyrgyzstan.