FLASH NEWS
Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle becomes world's first drone to fire air-to-air missiles
2025-11-30 19:11:13 / MISTERE&KURIOZITETE
Turkey's first unmanned combat aircraft, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA, made aviation history by becoming the world's first drone to successfully fire a long-range air-to-air missile at a jet aircraft during a test off the coast of Sinop.
According to a statement from Turkish defense company Baykar on Sunday, KIZILELMA launched the domestically produced GOKDOGAN air-to-air missile, hitting the high-speed reactive target with high accuracy.
The missile was fired from under the wing of the unmanned fighter jet, after the target was detected and tracked using ASELSAN's MURAD AESA radar.
This marked the first time in Turkish aviation history that a national aircraft fired a domestically produced air-to-air missile, guided by a national radar, at an aerial target.
The successful engagement established KIZILELMA as the world's first and only unmanned platform with verified air-to-air combat capabilities.
The test also included five F-16 fighter jets from Merzifon Air Base conducting formation flights with KIZILELMA in a joint manned and unmanned operation, demonstrating future air combat concepts.
A Bayraktar AKINCI drone accompanied the mission, recording the event from the air.
KIZILELMA's low radar cross-section and advanced sensors enable it to detect enemy aircraft from long distances without being seen.
The platform integrates advanced technologies, such as the MURAD AESA radar and the TOYGUN targeting system, and can deploy a wide range of locally produced munitions.
In previous tests, KIZILELMA had achieved direct hits with TOLUN and TEBER-82 munitions.
The latest air-to-air strike demonstrates its operational capability for both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions, further expanding its role in Turkey's defense strategy.
Baykar, which has fully self-financed its UAV projects since 2003, has become a global leader in drone exports.
The company generated $1.8 billion in export revenue in 2023 and repeated this figure in 2024, with 90% of its total revenue coming from exports.
Baykar has signed export agreements for its 36-seat Bayraktar TB2 drone and for the 16-seat Bayraktar AKINCI.
According to official data, the company has been the leading defense and aerospace exporter in Turkey for the past four years.
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