Baykar’s Kizilelma drone makes progress with first air-to-air kill
The Kizilelma drone mid-flight with the Gökdoğan missile on its wing station. (Photo: Bayraktar)
Turkish defence company Baykar’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) Bayraktar Kizilelma has hit another milestone in its development progress with its first air-to-air missile strike.
The UAV deployed Tubitak Sage’s Gökdoğan air-to-air missile which struck the aircraft target, marked using Aselsan’s MURAD AESA radar. The MURAD radar made its maiden flight with the F-16 Ozgur in 2024 and has also been tested on the Akinci.
This successful test marks the first time an uncrewed fighter jet has destroyed a jet-engine powered aerial target, using a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile, according to Baykar.
The Kizilelma drone also conducted crewed-uncrewed teaming demonstrations over the
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