Bayraktar KIZILELMA, Türkiye’s first-ever unmanned fighter jet, developed entirely with Baykar’s own resources, continues to successfully undergo flight tests.

Çorlu, Tekirdağ
27 February 2025

The development of Bayraktar KIZILELMA, Türkiye’s first-ever unmanned fighter jet, which has been indigenously and originally developed by Baykar, continues in line with the preplanned testing timeline.

AERODYNAMIC SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION TEST
Entirely self-financed by Baykar, Bayraktar KIZILELMA successfully completed its Aerodynamic System Identification Test. Departing from the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, the aircraft’s production prototype, Bayraktar KIZILELMA PT3, flew at medium altitude for 53 minutes. During the flight, the required aerodynamic system identification tests were successfully conducted.

MORE POWERFUL, MORE AGILE
The development of Bayraktar KIZILELMA continues in line with the preplanned timeline. Drawing from experience gained with earlier prototypes, Baykar has made significant modifications to the aircraft’s production prototype. In addition to structural enhancements, its avionics architecture has been further refined. Bayraktar KIZILELMA also completed a flight test using an alternative engine equipped with an afterburner, which was successfully integrated. With its powerful new engine, the aircraft is set to approach the speed of sound and, thanks to aerodynamic improvements, will be able to perform more advanced maneuvers at higher speeds. Equipped with an AESA radar, Bayraktar KIZILELMA will benefit from high situational awareness, enabling it to carry out even the most demanding missions.

 
AIRBORNE IN RECORD TIME
Baykar launched the Bayraktar KIZILELMA project in 2021, financing it entirely with its own resources. The Bayraktar KIZILELMA, bearing the tail number TC-ÖZB, rolled off the production line on November 14, 2022, before being deployed to the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Tekirdağ. After swiftly completing its ground tests, the aircraft successfully performed its maiden flight on December 14, 2022. In other words, Bayraktar KIZILELMA took to the skies in just one year—a record-breaking achievement.

MANY FIRSTS IN AVIATION HISTORY
During TEKNOFEST 2023, Bayraktar KIZILELMA made history with a series of groundbreaking flights in global aviation. In addition to performing formation flights with the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, on May 1, 2023, Bayraktar KIZILELMA flew in formation as part of a fleet over Istanbul with the F-16 fighter jet SOLOTÜRK and the Turkish Stars, a demonstration team consisting of F-5 aircraft. A turning point in the history of aviation, these flight concepts are set to shape the future of air combat.

EXPORT CHAMPION
Having self-financed all its projects to date, Baykar has generated 83% of its total revenue from exports since launching its UAV research and development program in 2003. In 2023, Baykar achieved $1.8 billion in exports, ranking among Türkiye’s top ten exporters across all sectors. As the world’s largest UAV exporter, Baykar continued its global success in 2024, generating $1.8 billion in exports, which accounted for 90% of its total revenue.

BAYKAR: THE WORLD’S LARGEST UAV COMPANY
Holder of the prestigious Champions of Export Award, Baykar was recognized as Türkiye’s defense and aviation sector export leader in 2021, 2022, and 2023, according to data from the Defense Industry Agency (SSB) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM). Having accounted for one-third of the industry’s exports the previous year, Baykar continued its dominance in 2024, contributing a quarter of Türkiye’s total defense and aviation exports—helping propel the country to the top of the global UCAV export market. As the world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, Baykar has signed export agreements with a total of 36 countries to date—34 for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and 11 for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV.