A groundbreaking achievement in world aviation history has been made with Bayraktar KIZILELMA from the Turkish Defense Industry. According to the announcement by the Ministry of National Defense (MoD), the KIZILELMA Unmanned Combat Aircraft (UCA), developed by Baykar, accomplished a first in an air-to-air mission by successfully destroying an aircraft target.
Historic Shot from KIZILELMA and GÖKDOĞAN
In the historic test conducted over the Black Sea, Bayraktar KIZILELMA detected the target aircraft using the high-performance MURAD AESA Radar developed by ASELSAN. Following the detection, KIZILELMA hit the target with pinpoint accuracy using the GÖKDOĞAN Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile, produced by TÜBİTAK-SAGE.
This achievement marks the first time in the world that an unmanned combat aircraft has struck an airborne target, placing Turkey at the forefront of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies.
Air Force Commanders Monitored the Shot from the Air
Defense industry and military leaders personally witnessed these historic moments. Among those who boarded five F-16 fighter jets taking off from Merzifon to monitor the firing test from the air were Air Force Commander General Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu, Combat Air Force Commander General Rafet Dalkıran, ASELSAN General Manager Ahmet Akyol, and Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar.
The MoD celebrated the determination and success of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) and all contributors to the project with the statement:
“History bears witness: Our Strength is Our Future! As a nation of soldiers, we continue to achieve firsts and to break new ground for the future of our children.”
The capability demonstrated by KIZILELMA is considered a strong indicator that unmanned platforms will maximize their effectiveness in the future operational concepts of the Turkish Air Force. The integration of national systems such as MURAD AESA and GÖKDOĞAN once again proves how close Turkey has come to its goal of a fully independent defense industry.
SOURCE: C4Defence / MoD
