Breaking News
Türkiye’s AKINCI Drone Demonstrates Precision Strikes with BOZOK and KAYI-30 Smart Munitions.
Baykar Technologies has confirmed successful live-fire tests of the BOZOK and KAYI-30 guided munitions from the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV during a December 14 campaign. The results highlight Türkiye’s growing ability to field domestically developed air-launched weapons optimized for unmanned platforms.
On 14 December 2025, Baykar Technologies released video footage on its official X account showing the Bayraktar AKINCI PT-7 unmanned combat aerial vehicle conducting a live-fire campaign with three indigenous guided munitions, as reported by the company. During the test, AKINCI launched two BOZOK laser-guided miniature munitions and one KAYI-30 laser-guided miniature munition, each scoring a direct hit on its designated target. The event illustrates the rapid expansion of Türkiye’s indigenous unmanned strike capabilities and underlines the growing maturity of air-launched precision munitions specifically designed for unmanned aerial platforms.
The live-fire test demonstrated the Bayraktar AKINCI PT-7’s ability to accurately deploy multiple laser-guided miniature munitions in a single sortie, confirming the effective integration and operational maturity of the BOZOK and KAYI-30 systems under realistic engagement conditions (Picture Source: Army Recognition / Baykar Technologies)
The campaign confirmed the seamless integration of BOZOK and KAYI-30 on the AKINCI airframe, a high-altitude, long-endurance UCAV designed to operate with a diversified weapons load. Developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE, both munitions belong to the Laser Guided Miniature Munition (LGMM) category and are optimized for employment on UAVs where payload limitations, precision and controlled effects are critical operational factors. Their use during a single sortie demonstrates AKINCI’s ability to employ mixed loads of free-fall precision munitions against different categories of ground targets.
BOZOK is a lightweight and compact laser-guided munition with a mass of 16 kg, a length of 80 cm and a diameter of 120 mm, specifically designed to provide unmanned air vehicles with an accurate strike capability in asymmetric warfare environments. Its design prioritizes operational flexibility and integration on UAV platforms where weight constraints are decisive. BOZOK uses a tactical inertial guidance mode during the midcourse phase, relying on an inertial measurement unit, before switching to semi-active laser guidance in the terminal phase to achieve high accuracy. With a stated range of more than 17 km, depending on release conditions, the munition is intended to engage both planned targets and targets of opportunity. Its warhead options include an anti-personnel warhead as well as a hybrid configuration combining armour-piercing and particle effects, while proximity sensors enhance target effectiveness in the final moments of engagement.
KAYI-30, developed within the same LGMM family, is a free-fall laser-guided air-to-ground munition with increased mass and payload, weighing approximately 24 kg and measuring 100 cm in length with a diameter of 140 mm. Unlike missile or glide systems, KAYI-30 does not incorporate propulsion or dedicated stand-off features; its effective range is dependent on release altitude and aircraft speed. According to official data, it can reach 15 km at 20,000 ft and 120 KTAS, and up to 25 km when released at 25,000 ft and 180 KTAS, using INS/GPS or combined INS/GPS/semi-active laser guidance. With a circular error probable of less than 3 metres, KAYI-30 is intended to deliver precision effects against a wider range of targets. Its modular architecture allows the use of anti-personnel, shape-charged/penetrator or thermobaric warheads, enabling adaptation to evolving operational requirements.
Operationally, the combination of BOZOK and KAYI-30 strengthens AKINCI’s role as a multi-mission platform capable of conducting close air support, precision interdiction and time-sensitive strike missions in support of land and maritime forces. The ability to carry and employ multiple laser-guided miniature munitions in a single sortie increases tactical flexibility while reducing dependence on manned aircraft for certain strike profiles. The integration of KAYI-30 with a smart multiple-carriage bomb rack, specifically designed for the KAYI munition family, further enhances sortie efficiency and supports rapid adaptation to different mission sets.
Beyond its immediate operational value, the test carries strategic significance. By validating a domestically produced UCAV operating exclusively with domestically developed precision munitions, Türkiye reinforces its autonomy in critical defence technologies and reduces vulnerability to external supply constraints or export restrictions. In an international context marked by sustained demand for armed UAVs and cost-effective precision strike solutions, the AKINCI–BOZOK–KAYI-30 combination consolidates Türkiye’s position as both an end user and a supplier of integrated unmanned strike systems.
At the military-strategic level, the demonstration reflects lessons drawn from recent conflicts, where armed UAVs have played a central role in persistent surveillance, precision engagement and deterrence. The successful employment of laser-guided miniature munitions from a HALE-class UCAV highlights Türkiye’s focus on fielding coherent, end-to-end strike ecosystems that integrate sensors, platforms and weapons rather than isolated capabilities.
The successful live-fire test involving two BOZOK munitions and one KAYI-30 from the Bayraktar AKINCI PT-7 represents an important step in consolidating Türkiye’s indigenous unmanned strike portfolio. The validation of these laser-guided miniature munitions on a strategic-class UCAV confirms both their operational maturity and the versatility of the AKINCI platform, reinforcing Türkiye’s credibility as a provider of integrated UAV and precision-munition solutions for national use and for international partners.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.