A World First: Turkey’s Kızılelma Drone Just Did What No Other UCAV Has Done Before – Quwa

On 29 November, Türkiye’s Baykar Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned fight aerial automobile (UCAV) efficiently destroyed a jet-powered goal drone utilizing the indigenous Gökdoğan beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), developed by TÜBİTAK-SAGE.

Performed on the Sinop Firing Space, the live-fire trial marks a essential milestone within the Kızılelma’s improvement, validating its functionality to execute complicated air-to-air engagements utilizing an indigenous “kill chain.”

The check built-in three key Turkish platforms and subsystems, i.e., Baykar’s Kızılelma stealthy UCAV, Aselsan’s MURAD energetic electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for detection and monitoring, and TÜBİTAK-SAGE’s Gökdoğan missile for the kinetic intercept.

Turkish officers recognized the occasion as the primary recorded occasion of a jet-powered UCAV efficiently partaking a jet-powered aerial goal with a BVR missile.

Whereas UCAV improvement worldwide has largely centred on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and air-to-surface strike rikes, the Kızılelma trial represents one of many few present validations of unmanned offensive counter-air (OCA) functionality at a system degree, transferring past simulations or captive-carry demonstrations.

The engagement adopted a typical BVR sequence. First, the onboard MURAD AESA acquired the high-speed goal drone and offered monitoring information. Upon radar lock, the Kızılelma launched the Gökdoğan missile from an exterior hardpoint. Telemetry and optical feeds confirmed a direct hit.

The trial additionally served as a stay manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) occasion. 5 Turkish Air Pressure F-16s from Merzifon flew with the Kızılelma to look at and mannequin cooperative air operations, whereas a Bayraktar Akıncı added aerial monitoring. Senior management from the Turkish Air Pressure and trade — notably Aselsan, TÜBİTAK SAGE, Roketsan, and Baykar — oversaw the demonstration from the air.

Baykar’s sturdy export efficiency underpins the Kızılelma program. In each 2023 and 2024, the corporate generated roughly $1.8 billion in annual export income, with agreements in 37 international locations for the TB2 and Akıncı — together with the Pakistan Air Pressure (PAF). This supplies a steady monetary base for Kızılelma’s improvement. Likewise, Baykar has signed onto a collection of business partnerships, reminiscent of LBA Techniques (with Leonardo), carving a serious pathway for the corporate to proceed driving its R&D in addition to integration work, particularly with firms in NATO’s provide chains.

Notably, the check underscored that Türkiye is fielding greater than a UCAV and related munitions. It’s presenting a turnkey, well-integrated ecosystem that extends into the connectivity and autonomy layers that future CCA and MUM-T ideas rely upon.

Baykar, Aselsan, TÜBİTAK-SAGE, and Roketsan are collectively delivering a full stack – i.e., stealthy UCAVs reminiscent of Kızılelma; superior sensors just like the MURAD AESA radar; a devoted household of each solid- and ramjet-powered AAMs and strike weapons; and next-generation tactical data-links (i.e., IVDL and T-LINK) enabling for low-latency, digital warfare (EW)-resistant teaming between crewed and uncrewed platforms.

Not like architectures the place data-links are an afterthought, Türkiye’s applications seem designed in order that communications, sensor fusion, and autonomy are co-developed with the airframe from the outset, together with conformal or directional antenna options and software-defined radio stacks tailor-made for stealth operations and high-throughput air fight.

Türkiye has constructed an exportable, non-ITAR ecosystem the place platform, munitions, sensors, and connectivity are built-in and validated collectively.