Turkiye’s Kizilelma UAV prototypes to begin flights, says Selcuk Bayraktar

Baykar Chairman and Technology Leader Selcuk Bayraktar gave a presentation on the development process of Baykar’s national UAVs at the Health Sciences and Technology Summit at Bezmialem Vakif University.

The Bayraktar Akinci conducted its first flight in 2019 and was involved in search operations related to the helicopter accident in which Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and officials lost their lives, said Selcuk Bayraktar.

Regarding Bayraktar Akinci’s involvement in the search operation for the mentioned helicopter accident, Bayraktar stated, “In the most adverse conditions, in the toughest circumstances, Turkish engineers developed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that went to places never ventured before and made a significant contribution to a crucial mission.”

“We will start flying the production prototypes and versions of Kizilelma within 1-2 months.”

Highlighting Baykar’s achievement of developing world-leading UAVs in its class within 15 years, Bayraktar emphasized, “Bayraktar TB2 became the most exported UAV to the most countries and provided the highest performance at the lowest cost.”

Bayraktar stated that they develop all projects within Baykar using their own resources:

“Only innovative firms, both in Turkiye and globally, can showcase a technology company like this. It’s something that can’t even be seen among global technology giants. Bayraktar Kizilelma conducted its first flight approximately one year earlier than promised to our nation in 2022. Kizilelma represents the place UAVs have reached in aviation worldwide. We will start flying production prototypes of Kizilelma within 1-2 months. We will have produced three Kizilelma units this year, and in the coming years, we will move to higher-volume serial production. Currently, the final integration works are ongoing.”

Kizilelma

As defense doctrines rapidly evolve in parallel with the rapid advancement of technology, it is predicted that future air combat will be conducted with unmanned combat jets. In this context, Bayraktar KIZILELMA being developed nationally and uniquely by Baykar, is set to shape combat concepts of the future.

Drawing on the experience of the game-changing Bayraktar UAVs and UCAVs developed by Baykar, the development of the unmanned combat aircraft system is progressing, equipped with future technologies.

Bayraktar KIZILELMA, capable of performing aggressive maneuvers for air-to-air combat, will serve as a force multiplier for security forces with its low radar cross-section. Additionally, Bayraktar KIZILELMA will have the capability to take off and land on short-runway ships, and it will be able to attack designated targets with the munitions carried internally in its body.