Bayraktar Kizilelma by Baykar: status and timeline

Bayraktar Kizilelma

Extend air combat capability into fully autonomous fighter-class unmanned platforms, giving customers low-cost persistent air superiority and beyond-visual-range interception without pilot loss.

PilotStage 3 of 5

Serial production done 2025. Turkish induction Q1 2026. Indonesia: 12 aircraft, deliveries 2028+.

Updated 6 May 2026Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Turkish Air Force induction

Kizilelma design and development begins2021Complete.
Kizilelma first flightDec 2022Complete.
Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (GÖKDOĞAN) integration testing2024Complete.
First unmanned air-to-air kill—GÖKDOĞAN missile destroys target drone29 Nov 2025Complete.
Serial production completed2025Complete.
Turkish Air Force inductionTarget 2026Not yet reached.
First export delivery to IndonesiaTarget 2028Not yet reached.

Most important updates

Upcoming

2026Turkish Air Force induction (next)
2028First export delivery to Indonesia

Current obstacles

Engine localizationCurrent variants use foreign turbofans; Turkish TEI engine must mature to cut export dependencies.
International acceptance and rules of warAutonomous air-to-air weapons raise questions about lawful conduct. Countries interpret law differently.
Scale production and supply chainExpand production to deliver 12 to Indonesia plus Turkish orders while maintaining reliability and cost.

Physics limits

Jet fuel capacity limits enduranceKizilelma's single turbofan is fast but fuel-thirsty. A 500-nm combat radius requires careful mission planning; longer loiter times demand larger tanks or multiple aircraft.
Radar cross-section in jet designJet inlets and engine nozzles have high radar reflectivity, making stealth harder than in flying-wing designs. Speed and agility partly compensate, but Kizilelma is not a stealth aircraft.

How it works

3 parts

Autonomous navigation

Pre-planned and adaptive flight

Programmed routes with real-time adaptation via embedded avionics; one operator manages multiple aircraft.

AESA radar

Beyond-visual-range search and track

ASELSAN GÖKADA AESA radar detects and tracks multiple targets at range, feeding fire-control without datalink.

BVR air-to-air missile

Autonomous air-to-air engagement

GÖKDOĞAN missile integrates with radar and flight control for autonomous lock, launch and terminal guidance.

Spec sheet

Spec	Bayraktar Kizilelma
Maximum takeoff weight	8,500 kg^R (reported)
Payload capacity	1,500 kg^R (reported)
Combat radius	500 nautical miles^R (reported)
Maximum speed	Mach 0.9^R (reported)
Service ceiling	45,000 ft^R (reported)
Engine	Single turbofan (Turkish TEI engine planned)^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Peer comparison

Military drones & autonomy peers

Spec	Bayraktar Kizilelma	Tekever AR3
Maximum takeoff weight	8,500 kg^R (reported)	25 kg^R (reported)
Payload capacity	1,500 kg^R (reported)	4 kg^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

2 updates

Wed 6 May

Major: Indonesia orders 12 Bayraktar Kizilelma aircraft with options for 48 more; first export deal signed at SAHA 2026PressCommercial

Sat 29 Nov 2025

Major: Bayraktar Kizilelma successfully fires beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, achieving world's first unmanned air-to-air killPressTest

About Baykar

The team behind Bayraktar Kizilelma

Baykar

Unmanned combat aircraft, Bayraktar drones, jet-powered UCAV

Turkish defense company Baykar designs and manufactures Bayraktar unmanned combat aircraft, including the turboprop TB2 and jet-powered Kizilelma. Products exported to 30+ countries.

Bayraktar TB2 exports to 30+ countries; widely used operationally across multiple conflicts.
Kizilelma achieved first unmanned BVR air-to-air kill (November 2025); Indonesia ordered 12 aircraft.
Kizilelma serial production complete 2025; Turkish Air Force induction Q1 2026; Indonesia deliveries 2028.

bayraktar.technology (opens bayraktar.technology)Company profile →

Founded: 198442 yrs
Headquarters: Türkiye
Status: Private
Valuation: private
Works in: AviationMilitary drones & autonomy
Coverage: 2 programs · 2 updateslatest 6 May 2026checked 11 Oct
Customers: Indonesian Ministry of Defence (opens janes.com)Turkish Ministry of National Defence (opens bayraktar.technology)
Suppliers: ASELSAN (opens aselsan.com.tr)TÜBİTAK SAGE (opens tubitak.gov.tr)
People: Haluk Bayraktar (opens en.wikipedia.org)CEOSelçuk Bayraktar (opens en.wikipedia.org)Chief Technology Officer

Spec

Bayraktar Kizilelma

Maximum takeoff weight

8,500 kg^R (reported)

Payload capacity

1,500 kg^R (reported)

Combat radius

500 nautical miles^R (reported)

Maximum speed

Mach 0.9^R (reported)

Service ceiling

45,000 ft^R (reported)

Engine

Single turbofan (Turkish TEI engine planned)^R (reported)

Spec

Bayraktar Kizilelma

Tekever AR3

Maximum takeoff weight

8,500 kg^R (reported)

25 kg^R (reported)

Payload capacity

1,500 kg^R (reported)

4 kg^R (reported)