Bayraktar KIZILELMA: Turkey’s Pioneering Unmanned Fighter Jet Advances Through Flight Testing
Turkey has made significant strides in aerospace technology with the development of the Bayraktar KIZILELMA, its first-ever unmanned fighter jet. This groundbreaking aircraft, entirely financed and developed by Baykar, a leading Turkish defense company, is currently undergoing a series of successful flight tests, marking a crucial step towards its operational deployment. The KIZILELMA represents a paradigm shift in air combat capabilities and solidifies Turkey’s position as a major player in the global unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market.
The development of the Bayraktar KIZILELMA is progressing steadily, adhering to a pre-planned testing timeline. The project’s success underscores Baykar’s commitment to innovation and its ability to independently design, develop, and produce advanced aerospace systems. The aircraft’s development program showcases Turkey’s growing technological prowess and its ambition to become a leading exporter of cutting-edge defense technologies.
Recently, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA successfully completed its Aerodynamic System Identification Test. The production prototype, designated Bayraktar KIZILELMA PT3, took off from the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, and soared at a medium altitude for 53 minutes. During the flight, the aircraft underwent rigorous testing to validate its aerodynamic characteristics, ensuring stability, control, and overall flight performance. The successful completion of this test further demonstrates the KIZILELMA’s design maturity and its ability to meet stringent performance requirements.
Baykar has leveraged the experience gained from earlier prototypes to implement significant enhancements to the production model. In addition to structural improvements, the aircraft’s avionics architecture has been refined, enhancing its computing power, sensor integration, and overall mission effectiveness. These refinements are essential for enabling the KIZILELMA to perform complex tasks in challenging operational environments.
In a significant development, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA has also completed a flight test utilizing an alternative engine equipped with an afterburner. The successful integration of the afterburning engine will propel the aircraft closer to supersonic speeds and enable it to execute more advanced maneuvers at higher velocities. The addition of an afterburner represents a major leap in the KIZILELMA’s performance capabilities, making it a formidable asset in air-to-air combat and other demanding missions.
Equipped with an advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA boasts exceptional situational awareness capabilities. The AESA radar provides high-resolution imaging, long-range detection, and multi-target tracking, allowing the aircraft to effectively identify, engage, and neutralize threats in complex and contested environments. The advanced radar system significantly enhances the KIZILELMA’s ability to carry out even the most challenging missions, solidifying its position as a leading-edge unmanned fighter jet.
Baykar initiated the Bayraktar KIZILELMA project in 2021, fully financing it with its own resources. The KIZILELMA, identified by the tail number TC-ÖZB, rolled off the production line on November 14, 2022, and was subsequently deployed to the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Tekirdağ. The rapid pace of development highlights Baykar’s efficiency and its commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology in a timely manner.
After undergoing a series of ground tests, the aircraft successfully completed its maiden flight on December 14, 2022. The fact that the Bayraktar KIZILELMA took to the skies in just one year is a testament to Baykar’s expertise, dedication, and the effectiveness of its development process. This achievement is even more remarkable considering the complexity and technological sophistication of the aircraft.
During TEKNOFEST 2023, a major technology and aerospace event, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA made history with a series of groundbreaking flights. In addition to performing formation flights with the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, the KIZILELMA participated in a historic flyover of Istanbul on May 1, 2023, alongside the F-16 fighter jet SOLOTÜRK and the Turkish Stars, an aerobatic demonstration team consisting of F-5 aircraft. This unprecedented display showcased the KIZILELMA’s versatility, its integration with manned aircraft, and its symbolic importance to Turkey’s aerospace industry.
These innovative flight concepts represent a turning point in the history of aviation, shaping the future of air combat and unmanned systems. The KIZILELMA’s ability to operate alongside manned fighter jets demonstrates its potential to enhance situational awareness, augment firepower, and provide a flexible and cost-effective solution for a wide range of missions.
Baykar’s commitment to self-financing its projects has enabled it to maintain independence and agility in its development programs. Since launching its UAV research and development program in 2003, Baykar has generated 83% of its total revenue from exports, highlighting the global demand for its advanced technologies.
In 2023, Baykar achieved $1.8 billion in exports, ranking among Turkey’s top ten exporters across all sectors. This remarkable achievement underscores Baykar’s competitiveness in the global market and its contribution to Turkey’s economic growth. As the world’s largest UAV exporter, Baykar continued its success in 2024, generating $1.8 billion in exports, which accounted for 90% of its total revenue.
Baykar is a recipient of the prestigious Champions of Export Award and was recognized as Turkey’s defense and aviation sector export leader in 2021, 2022, and 2023, according to data from the Defense Industry Agency (SSB) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM). The company’s consistent export performance reflects its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
Having accounted for one-third of the industry’s exports the previous year, Baykar continued its dominance in 2024, contributing a quarter of Turkey’s total defense and aviation exports. This significant contribution has helped propel Turkey to the top of the global UCAV export market, solidifying its position as a leading provider of unmanned aerial systems.
As the world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, Baykar has signed export agreements with a total of 36 countries to date—34 for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and 11 for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV. The widespread adoption of Baykar’s UAVs underscores their proven performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. The Bayraktar KIZILELMA is poised to further enhance Baykar’s global footprint and solidify its position as a leading innovator in the unmanned aerial systems market. The continued development and successful testing of the KIZILELMA demonstrate Turkey’s commitment to advancing its defense capabilities and becoming a key player in the global aerospace industry.
