The KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft, developed by Baykar, has entered the mass production phase. Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar announced that the sixth prototype is now in production. According to the statement, the KIZILELMA is preparing to enter the Turkish Armed Forces inventory by 2026.
KIZILELMA has officially entered mass production
KIZILELMA, which has become a symbol of high-tech domestic production initiatives in the defense industry, stands out with its fully autonomous flight capability, low radar signature, and short-runway takeoff capabilities from ships.
Following its first flight at the end of 2022, the aircraft has completed its testing and development phases in stages. The sixth prototype, currently on the production line, marks the beginning of mass production.
KIZILELMA’s features include the TF-6000 engine developed by TEI (still in development) and the current Ukrainian AI-322F turbofan engine. With a maximum takeoff weight of 8,500 kg, the aircraft can carry a payload of up to 1,500 kg. Reaching a speed of Mach 0.9, KIZILELMA can reach altitudes of up to 35,000 feet and has a range exceeding 930 kilometers, endurance for five hours.
With its low radar signature and integrated artificial intelligence support, the aircraft can operate in accordance with swarm technology. This enables both individual and coordinated mission execution. The aircraft can carry both air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. Furthermore, thanks to its ability to take off from short-runway aerial platforms, KIZILELMA can also operate from ships such as the TCG Anadolu.
Selçuk Bayraktar, President of the Turkish Defense Industry (TCG Anadolu), stated that KIZILELMA is not only a technical achievement but also a critical step in Turkey’s defense industry independence. Bayraktar said, “When I was young, Turkey didn’t even have a single aircraft designed, but now we hold 65 percent of the global UAV market,” adding that Baykar holds a 60 percent share of this market.
In the same statement, Bayraktar stated that the Bayraktar TB3 is the world’s first unmanned aerial vehicle capable of landing and takeoff from short runways, emphasizing that this technology surpasses countries like the US and Israel. It is stated that with the KIZILELMA, Turkey has entered a new era in defense aviation, and investments in this field continue unabated.
The mass production of the KIZILELMA is expected to bring about a significant transformation in both defense concepts and military capabilities. The aircraft is expected to be in active service by 2026.
