Türkiye launches Kızılelma drone production with Ukrainian AI-322F engine

The Turkish company Baykar has started mass production of the Kızılelma combat unmanned fighter drone, which is scheduled to enter service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2026. 

Source: Selçuk Bayraktar, chairman of the board of directors of Baykar, live on the CNN Türk TV channel, as reported by Ukrinform and Oboronka, a defence industry project by Mezha.Media, a technology and IT news platform within Ukrainska Pravda's holding company

Details: Bayraktar notes that the sixth prototype of the new drone is currently on the production line. 

Kızılelma is a new-generation unmanned fighter jet. Bayraktar emphasised that this type of equipment allows for carrying out high-risk operations without risking human lives.

Quote: "The Kızılelma fighter is unmanned, so you can easily risk them… UAVs used to be reconnaissance vehicles, but they have been turned into combat vehicles. They have neutralised the largest number of combat vehicles and military equipment. Bayraktar TB2 has achieved this," Selçuk Bayraktar said.

He added that as of 2025, Türkiye occupies 65% of the global unmanned aerial vehicle market and is the first country in the world to mass-produce UAVs. Bayraktar also emphasised that the future of aviation lies in robotic swarms of drones and the development of unmanned combat systems.

For reference: Bayraktar Kızılelma is the first Turkish multi-purpose fighter drone; it has been under development since 2021 and is financed by Baykar from its own funds. The drone is equipped with a turbojet engine, specifically a modification of the Ukrainian AI-322F, which enables it to achieve supersonic speed and high manoeuvrability.

Kızılelma is capable of taking off from short decks, landing automatically, operating in difficult combat conditions and carrying up to 1.5 tonnes of weapons. An important feature is its low-detection radar signature and AESA radar system, which increases situational awareness in combat operations.

This drone is being positioned as an autonomous combat platform with the capabilities of a light fighter capable of performing a wide range of combat tasks.

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