Baykar’s AI-powered mini cruise missile Kemankes 1 completes maximum flight and dive test

The AI-powered mini cruise missile Kemankes 1, developed indigenously by Turkish defense company Baykar, has successfully completed its Maximum Flight and Dive Test, the company announced on Sunday.

The test was part of the ongoing development program for the Kemankes 1 platform.

According to Baykar, two Kemankes 1 systems were launched from a Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) at the company’s Flight Training and Test Center in Kesan, Edirne.

Both missiles flew over 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) before performing dive maneuvers toward their designated targets and completing the mission with parachute-assisted landings.

AI-powered cruise missile designed for strategic precision

Kemankes 1, the first in Baykar’s family of mini-intelligent cruise missiles, was designed for use against high-value strategic targets.

The missile was first publicly displayed at TEKNOFEST 2023 at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul. Its name, inspired by master archers in Turkish history, reflects its precision-strike capabilities.

The missile is designed to integrate with Baykar’s indigenously developed platforms, including Bayraktar TB2, TB3, and Akinci UCAVs. It features an AI-assisted electro-optical guidance system, jet engine propulsion, and anti-jamming technology.

Kemankes 1 can engage targets behind enemy lines from more than 200 kilometers away and can remain airborne for up to one hour.

Operational versatility and battlefield impact

Kemankes 1 is equipped with an AI-supported autopilot system that allows for fully autonomous operations under various conditions. Its electro-optical sensors enable the missile to operate during both day and night and under adverse weather conditions.

The system transmits mission data to the ground control station through its host UCAV, maintaining constant line-of-sight communication.

Baykar stated that the system is designed to deliver high-precision strikes while being resistant to electronic interference, making it suitable for dynamic battlefield scenarios.

Baykar maintains leadership in UAV exports

Baykar continues to fund its development programs independently. Since beginning its UAV research and development in 2003, the company has generated 83% of its total revenue from exports.

In both 2023 and 2024, Baykar reported $1.8 billion in exports, with 90% of revenue coming from international sales.

According to the Turkish Exporters Assembly and the Defense Industry Agency (SSB), Baykar was the top defense and aerospace exporter in Türkiye from 2021 to 2023. In 2024, it accounted for 25% of the country’s total defense and aerospace exports.

Baykar has signed UAV export agreements with 36 countries—34 for the Bayraktar TB2 and 11 for the Bayraktar Akinci—positioning itself as the world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle exporter.