Kızılelma drone fires air-to-air missile in landmark test

SİNOP

Türkiye's domestically produced unmanned fighter jet Bayraktar Kızılelma became the world’s first unmanned aircraft to engage a jet-powered target using an air-to-air missile during a test in the Black Sea, officials said on Nov. 30.

The test conducted off the coast of Sinop included a formation flight with five F-16 fighter jets. A high-speed jet-powered target drone was launched as part of the exercise and tracked by the Kızılelma’s Murad 100-A radar, developed by Turkish defense giant Aselsan.

After detecting and identifying the target, the unmanned fighter fired a missile and successfully engaged the drone, officials said, marking a first for unmanned aerial combat technology. Most unmanned combat aircraft projects worldwide focus primarily on air-to-ground missions.

The Kızılelma project, launched in 2021, completed its maiden flight in December 2022 and reached production later that year. The advanced drone is expected to enter service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2026.

Baykar, the manufacturer, reported $1.8 billion in export revenue in both 2023 and 2024, ranking the company among Türkiye's top 10 exporters across all sectors.