UAV
MQ-9 Reaper vs Bayraktar Akinci
The heavy end of the armed MALE market is now a two-horse race between General Atomics and Baykar. Procurement decisions in several air forces have come down to exactly this pairing, making it the reference heavyweight comparison in the class.
Specification comparison
| Specification | MQ-9 Reaper | Bayraktar Akinci |
|---|---|---|
| Range | 1850 km | 5000 km class (public est.) |
| Endurance | 27 h | 24 h |
| Ceiling | 15240 m | 12192 m |
| Max speed | 482 km/h | 360 km/h |
| MTOW | 4760 kg | 6000 kg |
| Payload | 1746 kg | 1500 kg |
| Hardpoints | 7 | 8 |
| Nav | Not publicly disclosed | GNSS/INS |
| Seeker | Not publicly disclosed | EO/IR + LRF + SAR options |
Values are reproduced exactly as recorded in the DroneZone systems database. Where a figure is absent from the public record, it is marked “Not publicly disclosed” rather than estimated.
How to read this
On the attributes both systems publish as directly comparable numbers, the recorded figures break down as follows.
- MQ-9 Reaper lists 27 h endurance against Bayraktar Akinci's 24 h.
- MQ-9 Reaper lists 15240 m ceiling against Bayraktar Akinci's 12192 m.
- MQ-9 Reaper lists 482 km/h max speed against Bayraktar Akinci's 360 km/h.
- MQ-9 Reaper lists 4760 kg mtow against Bayraktar Akinci's 6000 kg.
- MQ-9 Reaper lists 1746 kg payload against Bayraktar Akinci's 1500 kg.
- MQ-9 Reaper lists 7 hardpoints against Bayraktar Akinci's 8.
Figures as stated by manufacturers and public documentation; class-level estimates are marked as such in the entries themselves.