Baykar's Kizilelma Fighter Drone Completes Ground Tests
Baykar's next-generation fighter drone, the Kizilelma, has successfully completed its taxi and ground running tests. The milestone marks a significant step forward for Turkey's indigenous AI-powered defense systems, which are designed for high-autonomy operations and strengthen the country's position as a developer of dual-use robotics technologies.
- The Kizilelma is designed for takeoff and landing on short-runway aircraft carriers, specifically Turkey's flagship, the TCG Anadolu, making it the world's first UCAV carrier. Baykar anticipates the drone will begin flying from the ship in 2025. This capability is crucial for Turkey's naval power projection in the Aegean, Mediterranean, and Black Seas. - Several variants are planned, with the initial Kızılelma-A being subsonic, powered by a Ukrainian Ivchenko-Progress AI-25TLT engine. Future supersonic versions, Kızılelma-B and Kızılelma-C, will utilize the more powerful AI-322F engine, also from Ukraine, with the C model featuring a twin-engine configuration. - With a payload capacity of 1,500 kg and a maximum takeoff weight of 8.5 tons, the Kizilelma can carry a variety of Turkish-made munitions. These include Roketsan's MAM guided bombs and SOM-J cruise missiles, as well as TÜBİTAK SAGE's GÖKDOĞAN beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles. - The drone features a low radar cross-section for stealth and will be equipped with an AESA radar developed by Turkish defense giant Aselsan, enhancing its situational awareness and combat capabilities. This aligns with a broader national strategy to develop indigenous technologies, including AI-driven systems, to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. - Baykar has become a dominant force in the global drone market, with exports accounting for 88% of its $2.5 billion revenue in 2025. The company has exported its famed Bayraktar TB2 to 34 countries and the more advanced Akıncı to 10 countries, positioning Turkey as a leader controlling an estimated 65% of the global UCAV export market. - Turkey's focus on defense technology is part of a national strategy to foster a robust deeptech ecosystem, supported by government initiatives like the "Innovative and Advanced Technologies Participation Venture Capital Investment Fund". This strategy aims to boost high-tech exports and achieve an 83% domestic production rate in the defense sector. - The broader Turkish defense and aerospace industry's turnover reached $15.1 billion in 2023, with exports hitting $7.2 billion in 2024. The government is actively investing in advanced technologies, with a recent $616 million infusion into Aselsan for facilities related to nanotechnology and air defense systems like the new AI-powered "Steel Dome". - The development of unmanned systems like Kizilelma is intended to create a "loyal wingman" concept, where the drone operates in conjunction with manned fighter jets like the F-16, a key future air combat concept. This reflects a global trend where startups like Anduril and Shield AI are attracting significant venture capital for developing AI-powered autonomous defense systems.
