Holiday Ayo - Turkey showcased its advanced unmanned fighter jet, or UAV, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA, successfully firing a missile from the aircraft on Sunday (November 30th).

The Bayraktar KIZILELMA became the world's first UAV to successfully fire a long-range air-to-air missile and hit a jet-powered target aircraft in a test off the coast of Sinop.

According to the Anadolu Agency website, Turkish defense company Baykar stated on Sunday (November 30th) that the KIZILELMA launched a locally manufactured GOKDOGAN air-to-air missile, hitting a high-speed jet with high accuracy.

The missile was released from under the unmanned fighter jet's wing after the target was detected using ASELSAN's MURAD AESA radar.

This marked the first time a Turkish national UAV has fired a domestically manufactured air-to-air missile, guided by a national radar, at an airborne target.

This success proves that KIZILELMA is the world's only unmanned platform with air-to-air combat capabilities.

KIZILELMA's low-radar signature design and advanced sensors enable it to detect enemy aircraft from long distances without detection.

The platform incorporates technologies such as the MURAD AESA radar and the TOY GUN targeting system, capable of carrying a variety of locally produced ammunition.

In previous tests, KIZILELMA recorded direct hits using TOLUN and TEBER-82 ammunition.

This latest air-to-air attack confirms its operational readiness for both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions and expands its contribution to Turkey's defense strategy.

Since 2003, Baykar has been independently funding all UAV projects and is now a global player in drone exports.

In 2023, the company achieved export revenues of US$1.8 billion (approximately Rp29.9 trillion) and repeated the same achievement in 2024, with 90% of its revenue coming from export markets.

Baykar signed export agreements with 36 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and with 16 for the Bayraktar AKINCI.

The company has been Turkey's largest defense exporter for the past four years.