What Is the Bayraktar Kızılelma? Türkiye’s Unmanned Combat Aircraft and the Striking Power of TCG Anadolu
A world leader in unmanned aircraft, Türkiye has taken the next step: beyond reconnaissance and strike drones, a true unmanned combat aircraft. According to Baykar, the Bayraktar Kızılelma is a combat drone that reaches high speeds on a jet engine, with a low radar signature and an internal weapons bay.
Two features push Kızılelma beyond an ordinary drone: it can take off from a ship, and it can conduct air-to-air combat. Having first flown on 14 December 2022, the aircraft is positioned as the striking air element of TCG Anadolu and sits at the centre of Türkiye’s vision to turn that ship into the world’s first ‘drone aircraft carrier.’
What Is Kızılelma and Why Is It Different?
Kızılelma is the product of Baykar’s ‘Unmanned Combat Aircraft System’ (MIUS) programme. Unlike propeller-driven UAVs such as the Bayraktar TB2 and AKINCI, Kızılelma is jet-powered and shaped like a combat aircraft. Its low radar signature (stealth) and internal weapons bay place it in the class of an ‘unmanned combat aircraft.’
The aircraft is being developed in stages with different engines and capability levels: the single-engine first version flies at high subsonic speeds, while a planned twin-engine supersonic variant will raise Kızılelma to the level of a true combat aircraft. A payload of up to about 1,500 kg and a MURAD AESA radar give the aircraft both strike and air-defence roles.
TCG Anadolu and the ‘Drone Carrier’ Vision
Kızılelma’s most strategic aspect is its link to TCG Anadolu. Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 programme had left TCG Anadolu — meant to be equipped with short-takeoff/vertical-landing F-35Bs — without its air wing. Türkiye filled that gap with unmanned systems: designed to take off from the ship over a short distance, Kızılelma became TCG Anadolu’s striking air power.
This turns TCG Anadolu into the world’s first operational ‘unmanned aircraft carrier’ concept. A constraint (exclusion from the F-35) thus becomes an innovation; Türkiye builds a unique model that can project air power at sea without carrying a manned fighter.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Unmanned combat aircraft (jet-powered) |
| Maker | Baykar |
| First flight | 14 December 2022 |
| Design | Low observability + internal weapons bay |
| Payload | ~1,500 kg |
| Radar | MURAD AESA |
| Weapons | GÖKDOĞAN/BOZDOĞAN, SOM, MAM, guided bombs |
| Platform | TCG Anadolu (carrier) + land bases |
| Export | Indonesia (12 units) |
Manned-Unmanned Teaming and Export
Kızılelma is designed not to operate alone but to work as a ‘loyal wingman’ alongside manned aircraft. A pilot in the indigenous fighter KAAN or in HÜRJET can direct Kızılelma to take on risky missions. Indeed, in a project between Türkiye and Italy, trials were conducted in which Leonardo’s M-346 controlled Kızılelma.
On the export front, Kızılelma found its first customer: Indonesia agreed to 12 aircraft. This shows that Türkiye is an exporter not only in reconnaissance/strike drones but also in unmanned combat aircraft. The global network Baykar built with the TB2 is now moving up a segment.
Strategic Meaning for Türkiye
Kızılelma raises the ‘unmanned’ segment of Türkiye’s air power to the level of a combat aircraft. The country takes the edge it built in reconnaissance and strike drones (TB2, AKINCI) up a level with a jet-powered, carrier-capable unmanned combat aircraft. This brings advantages in cost (cheaper than a manned jet), risk (no pilot) and doctrine.
The ecosystem links are strong: Kızılelma forms manned-unmanned teaming with KAAN, HÜRJET bridges the pilot training, and its internal weapons bay carries indigenous missiles like BOZDOĞAN/GÖKDOĞAN. The aircraft unites different Turkish defense projects — platform, missile, radar — in a single combat concept.
The most striking point is the TCG Anadolu case: the constraint of exclusion from the F-35 became an innovation in Türkiye’s hands. Thanks to Kızılelma, Türkiye is becoming one of the few countries able to project air power at sea without a manned fighter — and it can export that capability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bayraktar Kızılelma?
What sets Kızılelma apart from other drones?
What is its link to TCG Anadolu?
Is Kızılelma being exported?
Conclusion
The Bayraktar Kızılelma is a milestone that raises Türkiye’s leadership in unmanned aircraft to the level of a combat aircraft. With its jet engine, carrier capability, ability to carry air-to-air missiles and teaming with KAAN, Kızılelma sits at the centre of a model in which manned and unmanned aircraft will fight together in the future of Turkish air power.
