AeroMorning March 6, 2026

On December 28, 2025 Çorlu, Türkiye – Baykar Technology has announced a significant technological breakthrough for its Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned fighter jet with the successful completion of an autonomous close‑formation flight test, marking a first in global aviation history. The test was conducted at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center near Çorlu and involved two KIZILELMA prototypes flying in coordinated formation without direct human control. This autonomous formation flight represents a historic first for unmanned combat aircraft.

During the 27–28 December 2025 flight trials, the third prototype (PT3) and fifth prototype (PT5) of Bayraktar KIZILELMA took off sequentially and climbed to altitude. Using Baykar’s self‑developed smart fleet autonomy algorithms and an autonomous combat pilot system, the two unmanned fighter jets executed synchronized maneuvers and maintained a close formation entirely under autonomous control — a capability traditionally only demonstrated by manned fighter aircraft.

In addition to the formation flight, the KIZILELMA prototypes conducted a Combat Air Patrol (CAP)‑style mission during the same test campaign, demonstrating advanced autonomous mission execution along predefined routes. Baykar has stated that such autonomy could enable future unmanned systems to perform air patrols, coordinated strikes, and interception missions with limited direct human input, offering increased operational flexibility and tactical effectiveness.

These tests follow a string of developmental milestones achieved in 2025 as Baykar prepares the aircraft for serial production and delivery. Baykar plans to begin deliveries of the first serial‑production Bayraktar KIZILELMA jets to the Turkish Armed Forces in the first quarter of 2026, following the completion of prototype testing, weapons integration trials, and radar and sensor system evaluations.

Throughout 2025, the KIZILELMA program has undergone a wide range of developmental tests that go beyond basic flight validation:

• Weapons Integration and Firing Trials: The KIZILELMA has successfully carried out live weapons release tests, including firing Turkish‑developed TOLUN ammunition and the ROKETSAN TEBER‑82 guided bombs with high accuracy, contributing to its attack capability validation.
• Air‑to‑Air Missile Tests: In late 2025, reports indicate that the aircraft engaged aerial targets with a beyond‑visual‑range (BVR) air‑to‑air missile (GÖKDOĞAN) guided using onboard radar — a historic milestone demonstr
• Rating true combat engagement capability.
• Advanced Sensor Integration: Baykar has flown the KIZILELMA with ASELSAN’s MURAD 100‑A AESA radar, significantly enhancing detection and tracking performance, and evaluated targeting systems such as ASELSAN’s TOYGUN electro‑optical targeting suite in flight tests.
• Electronic Warfare Enhancements: In early 2026, the platform was reported to have been fitted with ASELSAN’s FEWS‑U electronic warfare suite, providing 360‑degree threat detection and electronic defense capabilities to improve survivability in contested environments.

The integration of these advanced autonomous flight capabilities, weapons systems, radar and sensor suites, and electronic warfare systems positions the Bayraktar KIZILELMA program at the forefront of next‑generation unmanned combat aviation. Its ability to conduct coordinated multi‑aircraft missions controlled by artificial intelligence promises to reshape doctrines of aerial warfare and influence future developments in autonomous combat aircraft globally.