Bayraktar Kızılelma
| Bayraktar Kızılelma | |
|---|---|
| Bayraktar Kızılelma at Teknofest 2023 in Istanbul | |
| Role | Multirole unmanned combat aerial vehicle |
| National origin | Turkey |
| Manufacturer | Baykar |
| First flight | 14 December 2022 |
| Introduction | 2025 (expected) |
| Status | Flight tests in progress |
| Primary user | Turkish Armed Forces |
| Number built | 4 prototypes |
The Bayraktar Kızılelma (English: Red Apple) is a single-engine, low-observable, carrier-capable, jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), currently in development by Turkish defense company Baykar. The aircraft is being developed as part of Project MIUS (Turkish: Muharip İnsansız Uçak Sistemi; English: Combatant Unmanned Aircraft System). The initial Bayraktar Kızılelma (Kızılelma-A) is subsonic. Planned variants (Kızılelma-B and Kızılelma-C) are intended to be supersonic, the latter having a twin-engined configuration. It is one of the two Turkish jet-powered stealth UCAV along with TAI Anka-3.
Baykar CTO Selçuk Bayraktar had initially announced that the Kızılelma was expected to make its maiden flight in 2023, adding that a jet-powered UCAV was a "12-year-long dream". The Kızılelma was able to complete its first flight ahead of the expected date, in December 2022.
After Baykar decided to form a partnership with Leonardo in the field of UAV, some aviation experts began to talk about the possibility that Kızılelma would be selected as the loyal wingman aircraft of the Global Combat Air Programme.