This implies that the operators would not want to risk putting the Akinci in harm’s way by initiating complex target acquisition and engagement procedures during flight since that might give enemy air defense missiles significant time to locate and hit the drone. 

This also means the firing will be preceded by extensive surveillance and reconnaissance of the target area to identify targets before the Akinci is pressed into action with the IHA-230. The data will then be analyzed to select locations or enemy ground assets to be struck.

“The UAV-230 is guided precisely to the target thanks to its  GNSS-supported inertial guidance capability, which provides a countermeasure against jamming systems. The system functions with a fire-and-forget capability. It allows the user to use it for critical missions without infiltrating deep into enemy positions,” Roketsan said, validating the prior analysis.

Such platforms significantly take the load off other aerial strike platforms like the Turkish ATAK attack helicopters or US-origin F-16s, allowing them to perform riskier missions like battlefield interdictions or strategic ground strikes.

The mention of “air defense radar and communication” systems by Roketsan as potential targets also means the IHA-230 can be used for Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD/DEAD) roles to clear the path for larger manned fighters and helicopters.

Rotating Fins

The video released by Baykar and Roketsan showed one of the ground crew members rotating the section of the rear part near the exhaust on which the tail fins are mounted. The fins on the IHA-230 are then seen rotating around the central axis when the Akinci is in flight.

The missile then hits an unidentified target in a thermal image view of an electro-optical system, followed by a standard CCD camera view of the disturbance in the water after the hit. While the missile is in motion through the air, the resulting air current generated causes the rolleron to rotate.

Russian Strela-10 air defense missiles and the US AIM-9 Sidewinder use a version of the rolleron where a metal flywheel is positioned at the trailing end of the tail fin.

While spinning, the flywheel resists any lateral forces acting on it, similar to a gyroscope. The IHA-230, however, has the entire outer body near the exhaust rotate sideways with the fins firmly in place, giving greater stability during straight-line flights.

Akinci in Use with Pakistan

It is not clear if the IHA-230 will also be sold to Pakistan for the Akincis in service with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) or if Islamabad has expressed interest in the missile. It is also not clear if the IHA-230 can be used by other aerial strike platforms in the Turkish Air Force inventory.

However, PAF’s possession of the drone does mark a significant shift in the balance of tactical military dynamics between India and Pakistan. Reports say that the first six to seven Akincis delivered to Pakistan in April 2023 belonged to the ‘A’ variant (Akinci-A), with subsequent deliveries likely to be of the more advanced Akinci-B.

But even with the Akinci-A, the Pakistan Air Force currently maintains a “decisive advantage in fulfilling its long-range reconnaissance and surveillance objectives within the region, primarily attributable to the operational deployment of Bayraktar Akinci drones,” said a report from the International Center for Peace Studies (ICPS).