The production prototype of Bayraktar KIZILELMA, Türkiye’s first indigenously developed unmanned combat aircraft, has successfully completed its maiden flight.

TEKİRDAĞ / ÇORLU
25 SEPTEMBER 2024

An important milestone has been reached in the development process of Bayraktar KIZILELMA, marking its evolution as Türkiye’s pioneering unmanned combat aircraft. The third production prototype of Bayraktar KIZILELMA, with tail number TC-ÖZB3, has successfully conducted its first flight.

SUCCESSFULLY PASSED GROUND TESTS
The Bayraktar KIZILELMA PT-3 was transferred to the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, in July. Before the flight, the prototype passed critical ground tests, including the engine run-up test, automatic taxi tests, run tests, and lift-off tests.

“OUR TESTS WILL CONTINUE”
The maiden flight of Bayraktar KIZILELMA PT-3, conducted under the leadership of Selçuk Bayraktar, Chairman and CTO of Baykar, was completed in the morning at Çorlu. During the test, system identification activities were also successfully carried out. Following the flight, Selçuk Bayraktar stated:
“The third prototype, which is the production prototype of Bayraktar KIZILELMA, successfully completed its first flight today. It was a short test flight, and our tests will continue. May it be beneficial and auspicious for our country and nation.”

STRONGER, MORE AGILE
The development of Bayraktar KIZILELMA continues at full speed, with significant advancements integrated into the production prototype. Structural improvements, alongside enhancements in avionics architecture, have been implemented. The flight was conducted with an afterburner engine, which enables the aircraft to approach the speed of sound. With improved aerodynamics, KIZILELMA will perform better at high speeds and maneuvers. The AESA radar will ensure high situational awareness, allowing the aircraft to execute complex missions effectively.

 
FLIGHT ACHIEVED IN RECORD TIME
The Bayraktar KIZILELMA project, initiated in 2021 with 100% equity by Baykar, achieved its first flight in record time. After rolling off the production line on November 14, 2022, the prototype completed ground tests and successfully took to the skies on December 14, 2022. The project continues to make rapid progress.

HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN AVIATION
Throughout TEKNOFEST 2023, Bayraktar KIZILELMA made history by completing formation flights with Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, SOLOTÜRK F-16, and Turkish Stars F-5 jets over Istanbul. These groundbreaking aviation achievements set the stage for the future of air combat.

TAKING OFF AND LANDING ON SHORT-RUNWAY VESSELS
Bayraktar KIZILELMA’s capability to operate on short-runway ships, such as Türkiye’s TCG Anadolu, provides a strategic advantage in overseas missions and in the defense of the Blue Homeland.

EXPORT CHAMPION
Since its establishment, Baykar has conducted all of its projects using its own resources. Since the start of its UAV R&D process in 2003, Baykar has generated 83% of its revenues from exports. In 2023, Baykar achieved $1.8 billion in exports, ranking among the top 10 companies with the highest export volumes across all sectors in Türkiye. Baykar received the Export Champions Award and, according to data from the Defense Industry Agency and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), became the defense and aerospace export leader in 2021, 2022, and 2023. In recent years, Baykar has earned over 90% of its revenues from exports, and in 2023, it alone accounted for one-third of the defense and aerospace sector’s total exports. As the world’s largest exporter of armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UCAVs), 97.5% of Baykar’s signed contracts to date have been export-based. Export agreements have been signed with 33 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and with 10 countries for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, totaling agreements with 34 countries.