Baykar Bayraktar Kizilelma

History of Baykar Bayraktar Kizilelma

Kale-Baykar Makina, a leading supplier of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in Turkey, gained international attention with its Bayraktar TB2 drone, notably during conflicts in Ukraine and Nagorno-Karabakh. This success has solidified its position as a significant player in the global UAV market. Now, the company is turning its focus towards advanced products, including the "Kizielma" fighter drone, aimed at addressing various military needs.

The Kizielma is a versatile system designed for air-to-air combat, reconnaissance, and ground attack, all managed remotely to mitigate pilot risk. Its development prioritizes naval operations, aligning with Turkey's interest in utilizing helicopter carriers. With test flights slated for 2023 and the Turkish Armed Forces as anticipated early users, the Kizielma promises to enhance Turkey's military capabilities.

Visually resembling a modern fighter jet, the Kizielma boasts advanced features such as a Ukrainian turbofan engine and the capability to carry a range of weapons, including precision-guided munitions and missiles. With impressive performance metrics such as a range of 575 miles, altitude capability of below 35,000 feet, and autonomous operation facilitated by advanced radar and agility features, the Kizielma represents the next phase in Baykar's unmanned aircraft development, positioning itself amidst stiff competition in the global market.

Specification

Basics

Year of Service: 2025

Origins: Turkey

Status: Program is running.

Crew: 0

Manufacturer: Kale-Baykar Makina - Turkey

Operator: Turkey

Roles

Ground attack (bombing, strafing): The ability to conduct air strikes against ground targets using (but not limited to) artillery, bombs, rockets, rockets, etc.

Disable support (CAS): Designed to operate near active ground elements with a wide range of air-to-surface weapon and ammunition options.

Ship Defense: Equipped to find, track, and attack enemy surface elements through visual acquisition, radar support, and ship-based weapons.

Nautical/navy: Water mobility capability for a variety of land-based or ship-based maritime missions, supported by Allied Naval Surface Forces.

X-Plane (development, prototyping, tech demos): Aircraft designed for prototyping, technology demonstration, or research/data collection.

Unmanned: Aircraft designed (or later developed) have inherent unmanned capabilities and can fill a variety of battlefield roles.

Notable Features

Radar Capability: Houses may house (via specialized variants) radars for searching, tracking, and attacking enemy elements.

Countermeasures: Onboard electronic or physical countermeasures taken by the aircraft or pilot/crew to enhance survivability.

Duck: Small forward aircraft in front of the main aircraft reduces wing loading and/or improves maneuverability for high angle of attack or stall operations.

High-speed performance: Can accelerate to higher speeds than the average aircraft at the time.

High performance: The ability to fly and operate at higher altitudes than the average aircraft of the day.

Extended range performance: Ability to travel long distances using on-board fuel supplies.

Super performance: The design covers the three key performance categories of speed, altitude and range.

Seaport: Able to operate over the ocean and survive certain harsh marine environments.

Scalable: Has retractable/retractable landing gear to maintain aerodynamic efficiency.

Unmanned operation: The design features the ability to fly without a pilot, with actions controlled by onboard programming and/or ground operators.

Autonomous operation: The design features autonomous flight operations through artificial intelligence or onboard pre-programming.

Camera equipment: Payload supports photographic devices that provide still and/or live image/video results.

Dimensions and Weights

Curb Weight: 9,259 lbs (4,200 kg)

MTOW: 13,228 lbs (6,000 kg)

MAINPLANE STRUCTURE

Monoplane: Designed to use a single main wing main aircraft; this is the most popular arrangement of main aircraft.

Central Install: The main aircraft is mounted below the center on the sides of the fuselage.

Straight: Floor plans involve the use of simple, straight main plan elements.

Performance

Installed: 1 x Ivchenko AI-25LTL non-afterburner turbofan, rated at 3,500 lbs.

Maximum speed: 559 km/h (900 km/h | 486 knots)

Cruising speed: 466 km/h (750 km/h | 405 knots)

Maximum speed difference: +93 km/h (+150 km/h | 81 knots)

Maximum: 35,007 feet (10,670 m | 7 km)

Area: 590 km(950 km | 1,759 nautical miles)

ARMOR

Undisclosed at the time of publication. Destroy armor and structures with precision-guided munitions (PGMs) such as laser-guided bombs, smart bombs, and air-to-surface missiles.