Baykar Bayraktar Kızılelma

Baykar · Turkey · first flew 2023 · fighter

The Baykar Kızılelma ('Red Apple') is Turkey's first unmanned jet combat aircraft, designed for carrier and land operations, representing a significant step up from Baykar's propeller-driven Bayraktar TB2 series.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, delta
E — Engines	1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	14 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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Spot it by:

unmanned jet combat aircraft with cranked-delta wing and twin tail fins
DSI (diverterless supersonic inlet) intake on the centreline
twin canted outward-angled tail fins

A tailless or near-tailless delta/cranked-arrow planform with twin canted fins distinguishes the Kızılelma from most current UCAV designs. The single diverterless intake under the forward fuselage is similar to the F-35's arrangement. Larger than a TB2 and unmistakably jet-powered.

Specifications

The Baykar Bayraktar Kızılelma has a length of 14 m (46 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10 m (33 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1100 km/h (684 mph).
Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Development of the Kızılelma was accelerated after Baykar's success with the TB2 drone. The programme was announced in 2021 and the first flight took place in December 2022 / January 2023. Designed around a single Ivchenko-Progress AI-322F turbofan, it is intended for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions and may operate from the Turkish carrier TCG Anadolu.

Variants

Initial production aircraft are the first known variant; development is ongoing.

Where you'll see it

Under development and evaluation by the Turkish armed forces as of 2024; no confirmed operational deployment reported.

Related aircraft

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