KIZILELMA, developed entirely with Baykar’s own resources, took off from the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu for a 1-hour-45-minute flight at an average altitude of 15,000 feet. During the mission, the aircraft performed formation flying with an F-16 and verified the integration of the national MURAD AESA Radar and the GÖKDOĞAN air-to-air missile, bringing its total test flight time to more than 55 hours.
In the “Bayraktar KIZILELMA – GÖKDOĞAN Armed Flight and MURAD AESA Radar Performance Test,” one F-16 carried out close formation flying while the other served as the target aircraft. Using the MURAD AESA Radar developed by ASELSAN, KIZILELMA detected the target at 30 miles, secured radar lock and executed a simulated electronic launch of the TÜBİTAK SAGE-produced GÖKDOĞAN missile for a virtual direct hit.
A key objective was verifying the data link between the aircraft, radar and munition. After locking onto the F-16, KIZILELMA transferred real-time target, position and velocity data from the MURAD radar to the GÖKDOĞAN missile, validating its ability to support beyond-visual-range engagements.
The flight combined three demanding tests: formation flying with a manned fighter, aerodynamic and avionic compatibility with the GÖKDOĞAN missile and activation of the MURAD AESA Radar for detection, tracking, lock-on and data transfer. Baykar said the success of all three scenarios marks a significant advance in the platform’s air-combat potential.
Baykar highlighted its strong export performance, noting that it has funded all projects with its own resources and generated 83 per cent of its revenue from exports since 2003. The company recorded 1.8 billion USD in exports in both 2023 and 2024, ranking among Türkiye’s top 10 exporters across all sectors.
According to export data from the Presidency of Defense Industries and the Turkish Exporters Assembly, Baykar was the defence and aerospace export leader from 2021 to 2024. In 2023, it accounted for one-third of Türkiye’s defence and aerospace exports, followed by one-quarter in 2024, strengthening the country’s position in the global UCAV market.
Baykar, which describes itself as the world’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle company, has signed export agreements with 37 countries. These include 36 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV and 16 for the Bayraktar AKINCI UCAV, reflecting the company’s expanding international footprint.
