Tukey has manufactured highly advanced unmanned combat aircraft Bayraktar Kizilelma.Kizilelma is Turkish word which literary means Golden apple or red apple. The term was first derived in era of Ottoman Empire which means Turkish people ambitions to achieve ultimate success and goals. The term was specifically used to referred as ideology of Turks and their conquest of lands to that far end where sun sets and looks like red apple After advent of Islam many Turks related Kizilelma to conquest of Constantinople which is present day Istanbul.
In past few years Turkiye attained a prominent position in field of manufacturing combat aerial vehicles. Turkish drones proved as lethal and deadly weapon in conflicts and in battles. The victory and success of Azerbaijan over Armenia in Nagorno Karabakh region was mainly due to Turkish manufactured Bayraktar TB2 drones. These Drones inflicted significant damage on Armenian artillery and on ground forces. Turkiye also sold Bayraktar TB2 drones to other countries like Pakistan and Ukraine .Many defense analysts believed that Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones were very effective and lethal during early stages of Russia Ukraine war.Pakisan is also using Akinci and TB 2 drones on its western borders along with Afghanistan.
Turkish defense company BAYKAR indigenously manufactured and developed variety of combat drones. The Flagship products of the Baykar firm are Legendary Bayraktar TB1 drones, Bayraktar TB2 drones and Bayraktar Akinci drones. Baykar firm is now developing most sophisticated and state of art KIZILELMA unmanned combat aerial vehicle .The Kizilelma unmanned combat aerial vehicle program is part of Turkey MIUS program. According to MIUS program Turkiye will indigenously built high tech unmanned combatant system.
Public revelation of Bayraktar Kizilelma
The conceptual design of Kizilelma Unmanned Combat Aircraft was started in 2013 and pictures of Kizelelma drones were revealed in July 2021.
First Maiden flight of Kizilelma Unmanned Combat Aircraft
Kizilelma unmanned Arial vehicle completed its first maiden flight on December 14, 2022 After that Kizilelma UCAV completed second flight test in January 2023.The Kizilelma Unmanned aerial vehicle passed comprehensive tests of eight maiden flights in month of April 2023 .On 30th April the Kizilelma unmanned combat Aircraft performed a flight with Turkish F16 Solo Turks during a technofest in Istanbul.
Design of Bayraktar Kizilelma
Bayraktar Kizilelma UCAV has canard delta wings similar to Chinese mighty dragon J-20 .The couple canard on either side of unmanned aircraft are designed to give more maneuverability and for better control of airflow .The Kizilelma unmanned combat vehicle has a very low RCS (radar cross section) making it low observable and stealthy to some extent.
Avionics
Bayraktar Kizilelma has AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar indigenously manufactured by Aslesan firm. The Kizilelma unmanned combat aircraft will be integrated with latest line of sight (LOS) and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) technology. This technology will make Kizilelma capable of monitoring and surveillance of hostile aircrafts from very long distances. The Kizilelma unmanned combat aerial vehicle has modern ESINT (electronically signal intelligence) system and modern electronic warfare pod.
Weapon system and Payload:
Kizilelma unmanned combat aerial vehicle has two internal weapon bay system along with two external hard points. Total payload capacity of Kizilelma unmanned combat aerial vehicle has 1500 kg.Kizilelma unmanned combat vehicle is integrated with highly advanced air to air missiles like Bozdoğan (Merlin) which has high thrust smoke solid propellant and an advanced solid rocket propellant .Bozdogan air to air missile has also unique property of thrust vectoring (a property of aircrafts and rockets to use and manipulate engine thrust to control motion and altitude ).The other notable armament of Kizilelma unmanned drone is SOM cruise missile which has total range of almost 250 km.
Takeoff and landing capabilities:
Kizilelma Unmanned combat aircraft has feature of fully Autonomous Take Off and Landing. It also has ability of takeoff and landing from short runways. The Kizilelma UCAV performed takeoff and landing from Turkiye first indigenous amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu.TCG Anadolu will be Turkiye first naval UCAV carrier.
Speed and Range of Bayraktar Kizilelma
Maximum speed of Kizilelma UCAV is Mach 0.9 1100km/h and cruise speed of Kizilelma is Mach 0.6 that is 735 km /h .The maximum range of Kizelelma UCAV is 930 km it can airborne for almost 5 hours.
Engine designed for unmanned combat aircraft Kizilelma
Kizilelma unlike other combat drones or aerial vehicle is fully integrated with jet engine.Baykar firm has signed a deal with Ukraine firm named Ivchenko-Progress for procurement of engines. The first engine is AI-25TLT which is integrated with MIUS –A. Second engine will be integrated with another variant MIUS-B which will be either Turkiye indigenous built engine TF-6000 from Turkish firm Tusaş Engine Industries or it will be AI-322F from Ivchenko-Progress .
Variants of Bayraktar Kizilelma UCAV
According to Baykar Company there will be three variants of Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned combat Aircraft. The three variants are combat aircraft Kizilelma A which is integrated with Ukrainian made engine AI-25TLT.The Kizilelma A is capable for having almost supersonic speed Kizilelma B will be integrated with either AI-322F or TF-6000 will be capable of flying with supersonic speed. The third version will be Kizilelma C which will be integrated with pure domestic built engine.
Unmanned Combat aircraft Kizilelma integration with Turkish TAI FX MMU program
As Turkiye has also initiated its fifth generation stealth fighter program which is named as TAI FX KAAN on domestic level. The avionics of TAI program will be fully integrated with UCAV like Bayraktar TB1 and TB2 drones, Akinci drones and with Bayraktar Kizilelma Unmanned combat Aircraft. The pilot of TAI FX aircraft will be able to control and manage all UCAV including Bayraktar Kizilelma from cockpit.
Operators of Bayraktar Kizilelma
Unmanned Combat Aircraft Kizilelma will be used by Turkish Armed Forces and Turkish ground forces. There is no official announcement regarding export of Kizilelma UCAV to other countries.
Salient Features of Kizilelma Unmanned Combat Aircraft:
Avionics:
AESA radar with LOS and BLOS technology
Electronic warfare pod and ESINT technology
Aselsan Common Aperture Targeting System
Payload Capacity: 1500 kg
Weapon bay systems: Two internal weapon bay system with two external hard points
Maximum speed: 0.9 Mach and cruise speed 0.6 Mach
Combat range: 930 km
Flight Endurance: 5 to 6 hours
Length: 14.7m
Wingspan: 10m
Operational altitude: 11000m
Service ceiling: 14000m
Armaments and missiles:
Bozdoğan (Merlin) Air to Air missile
Gokdogan BVRAAM (Beyond visual range Air to Air missile)
Akdogan AAM
Gokhan Air to Air missiles
Cruise Missiles
SOM cruise missile
TUBITAK air to surface missiles
Çakır designed by Roketsan which is surface to surface cruise missile
Bombs
Mark 81 bomb manufactured by Rocketsan
Mark 82 bomb by TUBITAK
HGK guidance kit developed by TUBITAK SAGE and can be used against moving targets.
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