Drone firm Baykar says it has made global combat aviation history after its Bayraktar Kizilelma uncrewed fighter jet fired a missile which successfully destroyed a target aircraft flying beyond visual range.
The uncrewed combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) is expected to form a key part of the air wing on the Turkish Navy’s flagship, the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, and its forthcoming Mugem aircraft carrier currently being built.
As per a Baykar press statement, the successful test of the Kizilelma drone was recently conducted off the coast of Sinop, which lies roughly halfway along Turkiye’s Black Sea coastline.
All the technology tested has been domestically developed; the UCAV fired a Gokdogan air-to-air missile developed by Tubitake Sage, and used the Murad Aesa targeting radar developed by Aselsan.
Baykar’s statement noted: “The vast majority of unmanned fighter jet projects worldwide are designed primarily for air-to-land missions.
“While no other unmanned platform has achieved air-to-air firing capability to date, Bayraktar Kizilelma has become the first and only platform in the world to demonstrate air-to-air combat capability through its latest firing test — opening a new chapter in aviation history.”
The test was launched from 5th Main Jet Base Command in Merzifon, and five F-16 fighter jets flew in formation with the Kizilelma UCAV. They were also accompanied by a Bayraktar Akinci UCAV.
The statement added: “In previous tests, Bayraktar Kizilelma achieved direct hits on targets using Tolun and Teber-82 munitions. With the Gokdogan firing, it has now demonstrated its competence not only in air-to-ground missions but also in air-to-air engagements.”
It added: “Possessing a much lower radar cross-section compared to existing fighter jets, Bayraktar Kizilelma can detect enemy aircraft from very long distances — before they can detect it — thanks to its advanced onboard sensors.
“With this new concept of ‘seeing without being seen, striking without being hit,’ Bayraktar Kizilelma will become a platform that delivers decisive superiority in air combat.”
- You can read more details on the Baykar website