The Royal Saudi Naval Forces have completed a new stage in preparations for operating the Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aircraft, with 30 Saudi naval personnel graduating from training conducted by Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar in Türkiye.
Baykar announced on September 25, 2026, that 15 pilot trainees and 15 mechanical and electronic technician trainees from the Royal Saudi Naval Forces had completed AKINCI training at the company’s Çorlu Flight Training and Test Center.
The graduation represents another step toward Saudi Navy AKINCI UCAV operations following the major agreement between Saudi Arabia and Baykar announced in 2023.
Saudi Navy AKINCI UCAV Crews Complete Training
The graduating group consisted of:
- 15 Royal Saudi Naval Forces pilot trainees
- 15 mechanical and electronic technician trainees
Training was conducted at Baykar’s Çorlu Flight Training and Test Center in Türkiye.
The involvement of Royal Saudi Naval Forces personnel is particularly significant because it confirms the naval component of Saudi Arabia’s AKINCI program.
Baykar did not provide a date for operational deployment of the aircraft or specify the missions the Saudi Navy intends to conduct with AKINCI.
Training Follows Major Saudi Arabia-Baykar Agreement
The training follows the AKINCI agreement reached during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Jeddah in July 2023.
Baykar described the agreement as the largest defense and aerospace export contract in Türkiye’s history.
The program covers aircraft intended for both the Saudi air force and navy and includes training, technical support and logistics.
Media reports have estimated the agreement’s value at approximately $3 billion, although official information regarding the final contract value, number of aircraft and delivery schedule has not been disclosed.
AKINCI Could Bring Long-Endurance UAS Capability to Naval Operations
The Bayraktar AKINCI has previously been used for reconnaissance, surveillance and strike missions by multiple operators.
For naval operations, the aircraft’s endurance and payload capacity could support extended maritime surveillance and other missions over large areas.
According to Baykar’s published specifications cited in the provided material, AKINCI offers:
- More than 24 hours of endurance
- Operational altitude of 30,000 feet
- Payload capacity of up to 1,500 kg
With appropriate sensors and communications systems, those capabilities could allow the aircraft to monitor maritime areas, track contacts and relay information to ships or shore-based command elements.
The precise configuration and missions planned by the Royal Saudi Naval Forces have not been disclosed.
AKINCI Demonstrates Maritime Strike Capability
AKINCI can also carry a range of weapons significantly heavier than those typically deployed aboard smaller tactical drones.
Potential weapons identified for the platform include the SOM stand-off cruise missile, while AKINCI has also undergone firing tests with Roketsan’s UAV-230 and UAV-300 supersonic missiles.
According to the provided source material, an AKINCI launched a UAV-300 during a September 2026 test over the Black Sea and struck a maritime target at a distance exceeding 250 kilometers.
That distance represents the demonstrated engagement distance during the test rather than a published maximum range for the weapon.
The test highlights the potential for AKINCI to combine persistent surveillance with stand-off maritime strike capabilities.
Maritime ISR Could Be Central to Naval AKINCI Operations
Long endurance could make intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance an important application for a naval AKINCI fleet.
An aircraft remaining airborne for more than 24 hours could potentially contribute to building a recognized maritime picture by monitoring large areas and passing information to other elements of a naval force.
A UCAV could also operate as one element of a wider sensor and targeting network, receiving targeting information from other platforms rather than relying exclusively on its own sensors.
However, Baykar and Saudi authorities have not publicly detailed the operational concepts, sensor configuration or weapons planned for Royal Saudi Naval Forces aircraft.
Saudi Naval Personnel Move Closer to AKINCI Operations
The graduation of pilots and technical personnel provides Saudi Arabia with trained naval crews capable of supporting the AKINCI program as aircraft enter service.
It also advances a procurement effort that extends the Turkish-built UCAV beyond its established land-based reconnaissance and strike applications toward dedicated naval operations.
The next major milestones—including aircraft delivery schedules, operational bases, mission configurations and the date when the Royal Saudi Naval Forces will begin operational Saudi Navy AKINCI UCAV flights—have not yet been publicly disclosed.
Source: Baykar announcement and provided source material
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