Unmanned Fighter Jet Bayraktar KIZILELMA Hits Target in First Air-to-Air Test-Firing

On November 30, 2025, Türkiye’s drone maker Baykar revealed that the Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned boxer jet effectively involved and damaged an airborne target utilizing the indigenously established GÖKDOGAN air-to-air rocket. KIZILELMA is anticipated to run aboard Turkish Navy’s front runner, TCG Anadolu, in addition to the MUGEM warship presently incomplete.

Baykar news release

Bayraktar KIZILELMA, indigenously and initially established by Baykar, has actually videotaped yet an additional extraordinary accomplishment in the background of worldwide fight air travel background. Türkiye’s aboriginal unmanned boxer jet struck a target airplane, noted by ASELSAN’s MURAD AESA radar, with total precision utilizing TUBITAK SAGE’s GÖKDOĞAN air-to-air rocket throughout an examination off the coastline of Sinop. This examination noted the very first time in air travel background that an unmanned boxer jet effectively damaged a jet-engine– powered airborne target utilizing a BVR (Beyond Visual Array) air-to-air rocket.

Türkiye’s first-ever unmanned boxer jet, Bayraktar KIZILELMA– established indigenously and initially by Baykar with its very own sources– has actually removed yet an additional crucial limit on its course to coming to be a game-changer in the protection of our country’s skies homeland. The current examination, carried out in the Sinop Shooting Location, noted the very first time that an unmanned boxer jet effectively struck a jet-powered airborne target with an air-to-air rocket.

First and Just on the planet in Air Battle

The substantial bulk of unmanned boxer jet jobs worldwide are developed largely for air-to-land goals. While nothing else unmanned system has actually accomplished air-to-air shooting capacity to day, Bayraktar KIZILELMA has actually come to be the initial and just system worldwide to show air-to-air fight capacity with its newest shooting examination– opening up a brand-new phase in air travel background.

KIZILELMA’s Development Trip with F-16s

5 F-16 boxer jets, which left from the fifth Key Jet Base Command in Merzifon for the historical examination, signed up with Bayraktar KIZILELMA over Sinop. Bayraktar KIZILELMA carried out a five-aircraft development trip with F-16s, showing the air fight idea of the future with manned– unmanned joint procedures. On the other hand, the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV went along with the development, recording the historical efficiency from the air.

As component of the examination circumstance, a high-speed, jet-engine– powered target airplane was released. It was spotted and tracked by ASELSAN’s MURAD AESA radar, incorporated right into Bayraktar KIZILELMA. As soon as the radar exactly noted the target, KIZILELMA discharged a GÖKDOĞAN BVR (past aesthetic array) air-to-air rocket– established by TÜBİTAK SAGE– from its wing terminal. The aboriginal rocket struck the jet-powered target with total precision.

With this examination, the air-to-air strike capacity of the aboriginal unmanned boxer jet Bayraktar KIZILELMA was likewise confirmed. For the very first time in Turkish air travel background, an aboriginal air-to-air rocket was discharged from an aboriginal airplane versus an air-borne target, led by an aboriginal radar. This way, every web link in the air-to-air goal chain was performed completely with aboriginal abilities.

This examination, which noted the start of a brand-new phase in Türkiye’s air travel background, was checked online from the air. Flying Force Leader Gen. Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu, Battle Air Forces Leader Gen. Rafet Dalkıran, ASELSAN General Supervisor Ahmet Akyol, and Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar were aboard a development of F-16s that left from Merzifon, managing the historical strike from the cabins. The delegation complying with the examination likewise consisted of TÜBİTAK SAGE Institute Supervisor Kemal Topalömer and ROKETSAN General Supervisor Murat İkinci.

” Sees Without Being Seen, Strikes Without Being Struck”

The historical live-fire examination likewise showed just how the air fight ideas of the future will certainly materialize. The game-changing effect that Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs developed in air-to-ground goals will certainly currently be brought right into air-to-air goals with Bayraktar KIZILELMA. Having a much reduced radar cross-section (RCS) contrasted to existing boxer jets, Bayraktar KIZILELMA can identify opponent airplane from long ranges– prior to they can identify it– many thanks to its sophisticated onboard sensing units. With this brand-new idea of “seeing without being seen, striking without being struck,” Bayraktar KIZILELMA will certainly come to be a system that supplies crucial prevalence in air fight.

Bayraktar KIZILELMA likewise attracts attention with its selection of crucial goal systems. To day, the system has actually effectively incorporated sophisticated modern technologies– generated just by a pick variety of nations worldwide– such as ASELSAN’s MURAD AESA radar and the low-observable electro-optical targeting system TOYGUN. Having a wide variety of artilleries alternatives, Türkiye’s aboriginal unmanned boxer jet will certainly have the ability to use all indigenously generated artilleries. In previous examinations, Bayraktar KIZILELMA accomplished straight hits on targets utilizing TOLUN and TEBER-82 artilleries. With the GÖKDOĞAN shooting, it has actually currently shown its capability not just in air-to-ground goals yet likewise in air-to-air involvements.

Export Leader

Considering that its beginning, Baykar has actually executed every one of its jobs utilizing its very own sources, and has actually created 83% of its income from exports because the start of its UAV R&D initiatives in 2003. In 2023, Baykar accomplished $1.8 billion in exports, position amongst the leading 10 exporting business throughout all markets in Türkiye. As the globe’s leading merchant in the unmanned airborne lorry market, Baykar proceeded its worldwide success in 2024 also, producing 90% of its income from exports and once more getting to $1.8 billion in export quantity.

Baykar, which obtained the Export Champions Honor by position amongst Türkiye’s leading 10 exporting business throughout all markets in both 2023 and 2024, has actually been the export leader of the protection and aerospace sector for 4 successive years– 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024– according to information from the Protection Market Firm (SSB) and the Turkish Merchants Setting Up (TIM). In 2023, Baykar alone represented one-third of the whole field’s exports. In 2024, it solitarily executed one-quarter of Türkiye’s complete protection and aerospace exports, safeguarding Türkiye’s setting as the worldwide leader in the unmanned airborne lorry export market. As the globe’s biggest unmanned airborne lorry firm, Baykar has actually authorized export arrangements with an overall of 37 nations– 36 for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and 16 for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV.

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Naval Information remarks

Bayraktar KIZILELMA is Turkey’s initial jet-powered unmanned fight airplane developed for air-to-air, air-to-ground, and marine air travel goals. Established by Baykar as a low-observable, high-agility system, it intends to take on duties commonly appointed to manned boxers while lowering functional expense and threat. The airplane includes independent trip capacity, an AI-enabled goal computer system, and a framework enhanced for short-runway and service provider procedures.

Powered by a solitary turbofan engine, KIZILELMA has an optimum liftoff weight of about 6,000 kg and can lug regarding 1,500 kg of tools in interior and outside terminals. It integrates an aboriginal AESA radar, the TOYGUN electro-optical targeting system, and safe and secure long-range datalinks. Made for high-subsonic efficiency in its first setup, future variations are anticipated to come close to transonic rates. The airplane works with a wide variety of Turkish clever artilleries and accomplished a significant turning point by effectively shooting the GÖKDOGAN air-to-air rocket and ruining an online airborne target– noting an initial for unmanned boxer airplane.

According to firm authorities, KIZILELMA will certainly develop the core of the Turkish Navy’s airpower aboard its front runner TCG Anadolu, running along with the Bayraktar TB-3 UCAV. The unmanned boxer jet is likewise prepared for release on the Turkish Navy’s future warship, referred to as MUGEM. With its carrier-capable layout and multi-role goal collection, KIZILELMA is placed to come to be a main aspect of Turkey’s dispersed marine and air fight capacity in the coming years.

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