Amajor breakthrough in Turkish defense technology was achieved Wednesday as the production prototype of the Bayraktar Kizilelma, Türkiye’s first unmanned combat aircraft, successfully completed its maiden flight.
According to the defense firm Baykar, prior to the flight, the prototype underwent rigorous testing, including engine startup, automatic taxiing, acceleration, and wheel liftoff. The successful completion of these tests paved the way for the historic first flight.
The Bayraktar Kizilelma is expected to play a crucial role in Türkiye’s defense strategy, providing a versatile and powerful aerial asset.
The first flight test of Bayraktar Kizilelma PT-3, conducted in the morning in Corlu, was led by Baykar Chairman of the Board and Technology Leader Selcuk Bayraktar. During the test, system identification activities were also successfully carried out.
Selcuk Bayraktar, quoted in the statement, said, “The third prototype of Bayraktar Kizilelma, the production prototype, successfully made its first flight today. It was a short test flight. Our tests will continue from here on. May it bring good fortune to our nation.”
The test flight was carried out with an afterburner engine alternative, whose integration was successfully completed. With its powerful new engine, Bayraktar Kizilelma will approach the speed of sound and, thanks to aerodynamic improvements, will be able to maneuver much better at high speeds. With its advanced AESA radar, it will be able to execute the most challenging missions thanks to its high situational awareness.
The Bayraktar Kizilelma project first began in 2021, and the TC-OZB tail-numbered Bayraktar Kizilelma rolled off the production line on Nov. 14, 2022, before being transferred to the Akinci Flight Training and Test Center in Corlu.
After rapidly completing its ground tests successfully, it made its first flight on Dec. 14, 2022. Bayraktar Kizilelma took to the skies in a record time of one year.
Bayraktar Kizilelma will be a revolutionary platform on the battlefield, especially with its ability to take off and land on short-runway ships.
Developed with the capability to operate from short-runway ships like Türkiye’s TCG Anadolu, which is currently undergoing sea trials, Bayraktar Kizilelma will play a crucial role in overseas missions due to this capability.
Baykar, which has carried out all of its projects with its own resources from the beginning, has generated 83% of its revenue from exports since the start of its UAV R&D process in 2003.
In 2023, Baykar achieved $1.8 billion in exports, ranking among the top 10 companies in Türkiye in terms of exports across all sectors.
Baykar, which received the Export Champions Award, has been the defense and aerospace sector’s export leader according to the Defense Industry Presidency and Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) data in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
In recent years, Baykar has generated more than 90% of its revenue from exports and alone accounted for one-third of the defense and aerospace sector’s exports in 2023.
Currently, 97.5% of Baykar’s signed contracts are export-based. Export agreements for the Bayraktar TB2 SIHA have been signed with 33 countries, while 10 countries have signed export agreements for the Bayraktar Akinci TIHA. The total number of countries with export agreements for both vehicles has reached 34.
