Bayraktar Kizilelma successfully completes maneuver system identification test

Bayraktar Kizilelma, Türkiye’s first unmanned fighter jet developed by Baykar, has successfully completed its latest test flight, an afterburner takeoff maneuver system identification test, according to a statement from the company.

Kizilelma performs high-speed maneuvers in test flight

The production prototype, with tail number TC-OZB3 and designation PT3, took off from the Akinci Flight Training and Test Center in Corlu, Tekirdag, using an afterburner-equipped engine.

The test involved system identification tasks and high-speed, sharp maneuvers.

According to Baykar, the test was completed successfully and remains on schedule within the planned flight testing calendar.

In addition to structural upgrades, the aircraft’s avionics architecture has also been improved. This version of Kizilelma incorporates a newly integrated engine with afterburner capabilities, enabling the aircraft to approach supersonic speeds.

The company also stated that the aircraft’s aerodynamic refinements enhance maneuverability during high-speed operations.

From inception to milestones in a year

Baykar began the Bayraktar Kizilelma project in 2021 using entirely domestic funding.

The first prototype, tail number TC-OZB, rolled out on Nov. 14, 2022, and was delivered to the Corlu-based Akinci center. After a series of rapid ground tests, the jet completed its maiden flight on Dec. 14, 2022—just one year after development began.

Baykar leads global UAV export market

Baykar has carried out all its projects with domestic resources. Since initiating UAV development in 2003, the company has generated 83% of its revenue from exports.

In 2023, Baykar reported $1.8 billion in exports, ranking among the top 10 exporting companies in Türkiye across all sectors.

In 2024, Baykar maintained this trajectory by achieving 90% export-based revenue. It remains the world’s leading unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) exporter and Türkiye’s top defense and aerospace exporter for the third consecutive year, based on official data.

Baykar has delivered the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV to 34 countries and the Bayraktar Akinci to 10 countries, with further international deliveries in progress.

Türkiye now commands 65% of the global drone industry, with Baykar holding a 60% share of the global UAV export market.