Turkey’s indigenous unmanned fighter jet, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA, has successfully conducted an air-to-air missile test against a high-speed target drone, a milestone hailed by its manufacturer and Turkish officials as a world first in aviation history.
The test marks a significant leap forward in the capabilities of uncrewed combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), demonstrating that autonomous platforms can now effectively engage fast-moving aerial threats, a domain traditionally reserved for piloted fighter aircraft.
During the test, conducted under the supervision of Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries, the KIZILELMA fired a domestically produced GoKdoğan BVR air-to-air missile. The missile successfully scored a direct hit on a jet-powered target drone.
While armed drones have been used extensively for air-to-ground strikes for years, engaging another jet-powered aircraft in flight requires significantly higher levels of speed, maneuverability, and sensor integration. Manufacturer Baykar stated that this specific engagement an uncrewed fighter firing an air-to-air missile at a jet-powered target is an unprecedented achievement globally.
Selçuk Bayraktar, the Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Baykar, celebrated the event on social media, sharing footage of the test and calling it a “historic moment.”
“The golden age of Turkish aviation,” Bayraktar declared, emphasizing the groundbreaking nature of the successful engagement.
The test also highlighted the growing maturity and integration of Turkey’s domestic defence ecosystem. The Gokdoğan beyond-visual-range missile was developed by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye’s Defense Industries Research and Development Institute (TÜBİTAK SAGE). The high-speed Şimşek target drone was manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ).
Haluk Görgün, President of the SSB, praised the collaborative effort, noting that the test proved the effectiveness of Turkish-made munitions fired from Turkish-made platforms.
The KIZILELMA is a low-observable, carrier-capable uncrewed fighter jet designed to fly at supersonic speeds and perform aggressive maneuvers. This successful air-to-air test significantly validates its potential role in future air combat scenarios, moving it closer to operational status where it could operate alongside piloted jets or in autonomous swarms.
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