Türkiye’s first uncrewed fighter jet, Bayraktar Kizilelma, achieved a major global milestone during a test over the Black Sea. The jet became the first uncrewed aerial platform to fire a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile at a jet-powered target aircraft. The test occurred off the coast of Sinop and marked a significant leap in unmanned combat aviation.
According to a statement from Baykar, engineers equipped Kizilelma with the locally developed Gokdogan missile. The aircraft launched the missile after detecting the jet target and tracking it with Aselsan’s Murad AESA radar. The missile struck the fast-moving target with precise accuracy and confirmed the system’s advanced targeting capability.
First national air-to-air engagement
The test marked the first time a Turkish aircraft fired a domestic air-to-air missile guided by a national radar at an aerial target. This achievement also established Kizilelma as the world’s only verified uncrewed platform with proven air-to-air combat performance. The success reinforced Türkiye’s rapid rise in advanced UAV technology.
Furthermore, five F-16 jets from Merzifon Air Base joined the test. They performed formation flights with Kizilelma and demonstrated future operational concepts involving combined crewed and uncrewed missions. A Bayraktar Akinci UAV also accompanied the mission and recorded the entire engagement from the air.
Advanced features and earlier successes
Kizilelma uses a low radar cross-section design and advanced sensors that detect distant aircraft without revealing its position. The system integrates the Murad AESA radar and the Toygun targeting suite. It also carries a wide range of domestically produced munitions. Earlier tests showed direct hits with Tolun and Teber-82 guidance kits. The latest strike confirmed its growing capability for air-to-air and air-to-ground roles and strengthened its place in Türkiye’s defence planning.
Baykar’s rising global footprint
Baykar continues to finance all UAV projects independently, a policy in place since 2003. The company generated $1.8 billion in export revenue in both 2023 and 2024. Exports also accounted for 90 percent of its total income. Baykar has signed UAV export deals with 36 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 and with 16 countries for the Bayraktar Akinci. Official data shows Baykar has led Türkiye’s defence and aerospace exports for four consecutive years.
