Bayraktar Kizilelma completes another flight test.

On the 18th of January 2025, Baykar’s Bayraktar Kizilelma uncrewed aerial combat vehicle (UCAV) completed further flight tests at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Centre in Çorlu, Tekirdağ. The 3rd prototype with tail number TC-ÖZB3 completed the flight tests and carried out system identification activities during the test.

Previous milestones for the Bayraktar Kizilelma include initial prototype production in November 2022 and the completion of its maiden test flight on December 14th 2022. More recently, in April 2023  the Kizilelma completed its medium altitude system identification test, reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet.

During TEKNOFEST 2023 the Kizilelma displayed its ability to conduct close formation flights alongside the an F-16 fighter jet and ‘Turkish Star’ F-5 jets. This milestone displayed the UCAV’s compatibility with manned combat aircraft, supporting the theory that it will become the loyal wingman of the TAI TF KAAN, a 5th-generation fighter jet, during air-to-air combat operations.

The third prototype of the Bayraktar Kizilelma (tail number TC-ÖZB3) carried out its first test flight on the 25th of September 2024. It reportedly benefits from structural improvements, an enhanced avionics architecture, and an afterburner engine enabling an increased flight speed.

Tech profile: Kizilelma

The Kizilelma has an operational altitude of 25,000 feet with a service ceiling of 45,000 feet. The UCAV is capable of autonomous take-off and landing and is built to operate on short-runway vessels, notably Turkey’s TCG Anadolu the world’s first drone carrier. It is powered by a turbofan engine capable of flying at 0.9 Mach and has a combat radius of 500 nm with an endurance of between 4-5 hours.

The Kizilelma is expected to be fitted with ASELSAN’s active electronically scanned array (AESA) nose radar. The radar has a range of capabilities, including automatic recognition, multiple target tracking, under-cloud surveillance with SAR (synthetic-aperture radar), directional electronic jamming and for weapons guidance. The munition options include Roketsan’s UAV-230 supersonic missile and Roketsan’s SOM-J air-to-surface cruise missile, which have ranges of 150 km and 275 km respectively.

Calibre comment

The role of manned-unmanned teams in aerial combat is one area of autonomous platforms that appears to have relatively clear use cases and technical challenges that are theoretically solvable. For example, if the manned aircraft has identified a squadron of enemy aircraft within its area of operations, it is unlikely to be a commercial airliner, and so the autonomous UCAV can be left relatively free to engage the target. However, this becomes much more challenging if engaging ground targets or even ships in busier areas where target selection can be challenging. Problem sets like this define a lot of the conversation around autonomous platforms, whether on land, air or sea. 

By Austin Haywood, published on 23rd January 2025.