Bayraktar Akinci vs Shahed-136
Akinci is a large reusable armed UAV; Shahed-136 is an expendable one-way attack reference. The comparison distinguishes persistent sensing and separately carried weapons from a terminal strike in which the aircraft itself is expended.
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Specifications side by side
| Specification | Bayraktar Akinci | Shahed 136 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Baykar | HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) |
| Country of origin | Turkey | Iran |
| Mission role | Heavy Strike / ISR | One-Way Attack / Loitering Munition / Strategic Infrastructure Strike |
| Year introduced | 2021 | 2021 |
| Length | 12.3 m | 3.5 m |
| Wingspan | 20 m (manufacturer) | 2.5 m |
| Height | 4.1 m | 0.6 m |
| Maximum speed | Up to 240 KTAS / about 444 km/h (manufacturer listing) | 185 km/h |
| Published range | Mission and communications configuration dependent | 2,500 km |
| Endurance | 20+ hours (current manufacturer listing) | 10+ hours |
| Service ceiling | 40,000 ft / about 12,190 m (current manufacturer listing) | 4,000 m |
| Payload | 1,500 kg (manufacturer; configuration-dependent) | 40-50 kg warhead |
| Weight | 6,000 kg | 200 kg |
| Armament | SOM-J cruise missile, MAM-L, MAM-T, Mk-82/83 bombs | 40-50 kg HE warhead (integral); some variants carry thermobaric or shaped-charge warheads |
Figures below come from the linked DroneStrike profiles and retain their configuration qualifiers. Maximum speed, range, endurance and payload are separate published figures, not a single achievable mission configuration. Range is not necessarily combat radius or datalink reach. Missing information is not zero, and a larger figure does not establish combat effectiveness.
The comparison that matters
Akinci's payload capacity includes mission equipment and cleared stores, while a Shahed strike configuration has a different architecture. Greater mass, speed or engine count cannot answer whether a particular intelligence or strike requirement is satisfied without identifying the actual mission and threat environment.
Understanding Bayraktar Akinci
Akinci is a larger twin-engine armed UAV intended to carry heavier mission equipment and weapons than the smaller Bayraktar aircraft. Its heavier class changes support needs as well as potential mission options.
Engine fits, weapons trials and customer clearances vary. A demonstrated weapon should not be assumed to be available on every delivered aircraft.
Understanding Shahed-136
Shahed-136 is a propeller-driven one-way attack aircraft. It delivers an expendable strike effect rather than returning from a sensor-and-weapons sortie like an armed reconnaissance UAV.
Separate reported range, actual demonstrated routes and warhead variants; common usage of loitering terminology does not prove every version has the same terminal seeker.
How to read the specification table
The table compares the named Bayraktar Akinci and Shahed-136 catalog records, not an artificial combination of every advertised upgrade. Values are reproduced with their existing units and qualifications. Where figures describe different missions or payload types, treat them as context rather than calculating an unsupported performance advantage.
A published maximum is not necessarily achievable alongside every other maximum. Endurance may change with equipment, flight or sea conditions and transit requirements; a range figure may describe a different constraint from datalink reach. Unknown specifications remain unknown. For development programs and limited-disclosure systems, an intended capability must stay distinct from a completed trial or operational service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Bayraktar Akinci and Shahed-136?
Akinci is a large reusable armed UAV; Shahed-136 is an expendable one-way attack reference. The comparison distinguishes persistent sensing and separately carried weapons from a terminal strike in which the aircraft itself is expended.
Can the headline specifications establish a winner?
No. The mission, actual configuration, supported force and quality of evidence determine what the figures mean. Maximum speed, endurance and payload alone do not establish combat effectiveness, survivability or equal intelligence collection.
Where can I verify the versions and figures used here?
Follow the Bayraktar Akinci and Shahed-136 profile links for full descriptions, timelines and any listed source references. This guide preserves the catalog's uncertainty labels rather than presenting unpublished or weakly sourced figures as independently verified facts.
Sources and further reading
- Bayraktar Akinci: full catalog profile, timeline and source notes
- Shahed-136: full catalog profile, timeline and source notes
Specifications are drawn from the linked catalog profiles. Source dates and aircraft configurations may differ; see the individual profiles for their timelines and qualifications.