Bayraktar Kızılelma

The Bayraktar Kızılelma ( English: ''Red Apple'') is a single-engine, low-observable, carrier-capable, jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), currently in development by Turkish defense company Baykar. The aircraft is being developed as part of Project MIUS (; English: ''Combatant Unmanned Aircraft System''). The initial Bayraktar Kızılelma (''Kızılelma-A'') is subsonic. Planned variants (''Kızılelma-B and Kızılelma-C'') are intended to be supersonic, the latter having a twin-engined configuration. It is one of the two Turkish jet-powered stealth UCAV along with TAI Anka-3.

Baykar CTO Selçuk Bayraktar had initially announced that the Kızılelma was expected to make its maiden flight in 2023, adding that a jet-powered UCAV was a "12-year-long dream". The Kızılelma was able to complete its first flight ahead of the expected date, in December 2022.

After Baykar decided to form a partnership with Leonardo in the field of UAV, some aviation experts began to talk about the possibility that Kızılelma would be selected as the loyal wingman aircraft of the Global Combat Air Programme.

Development

The first conceptual studies for Bayraktar MIUS started in 2013. In July 2021, the first design images and information about the characteristics of the aircraft were shared with the public. Haluk Bayraktar stated that Baykar is considering spending $1 billion in the development process of project.

Engine selection

The AI-322 Turbofan Engine Supply Agreement and AI-25TLT Turbofan Engine Integration Agreement were signed between Baykar and Ukrainian Ivchenko-Progress at the SahaExpo event in November 2021. The first prototypes will go at subsonic speeds using AI-25TLT engines. The next prototypes are expected to be supersonic with AI-322F engines.

Disclosure of the project name

The project was initially known as MIUS ( English: ''Combatant Unmanned Aircraft System''). Its official name, ''Kızılelma'' (Red Apple in Turkish) was made public in March 2022.

Prototypes

On the same day of the name disclosure, Selçuk Bayraktar revealed that the first Kızılelma prototype has entered the assembly line. The first ready-to-fly prototype was displayed to the public in Teknofest 2022. The third prototype, which is considered the production prototype, successfully completed its first flight on September 25, 2024 from the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu. This prototype, with tail number TC-ÖZB3, featured significant structural and airframe differences from the original, including an afterburning engine, aerodynamic improvements, and an updated avionics architecture.

Beginning of the testing process

* The first engine integration test was successfully conducted on 19 September 2022.
* On 20 November 2022, automatic taxiing and ground running tests were carried out.
* Take-off test flights began on 3 December 2022 and Kızılelma cut its wheels off the ground for the first time.
* The aircraft made its maiden flight on 14 December 2022.
* The drone successfully made its second flight in mid-January 2023.
* 15 April 2023, aircraft completed its fourth flight test.
* 18 April 2023, aircraft completed its flight test with landing gear folded inside the fuselage .
* 19 April 2023, aircraft completed its sixth and seventh flight tests with serial landing-take-off and high-speed flight trials.
* 20 April 2023, aircraft completed its eight flight test with high-speed flight and maneuver trials, as well as serial landing-take-off and passing trials.
* 30 April 2023, the Kızılelma UCAV flew in formation with a SoloTürk F-16C during TEKNOFEST 2023 in Istanbul. The Kızılelma UCAV is designed to be used as a loyal wingman by the combat aircraft of the Turkish Air Force.
* 17 June 2023, Turkish UAV Bayraktar KIZILELMA reached an altitude of 9.5 km during the 12th test flight.

Production

In October 2024, Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar announced that mass production of Kızılelma had begun, with one vehicle already produced. The company aims to achieve production of over 10 units by 2026.

Design

Airframe

The Kızılelma is an unmanned aircraft featuring a low-RCS supersonic airframe equipped with an AESA radar. The aircraft is powered by a turbofan engine fed by two air inlets. Yaw control is achieved with two vertical stabilizers. The aircraft has coupled-canard controls for increased maneuverability or better controlling the main wing airflow. Internal compartments will allow the aircraft to operate in contested environments while sustaining low observability.

The aerodynamic controls feature canards-delta configuration, previously seen on certain stealth aircraft such as the Chengdu J-20 and the AVIC Dark Sword. The canards offer a trade-off between relatively less stealth but great maneuverability. Some control measures could be implemented to reduce its impact on radar signature.

The Kızılelma has a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of , with 1,500 kg of weight available for the payload. According to data shared by the company, the Kızılelma will have an operational altitude of .

The production prototype incorporates an AESA radar, likely the MURAD-200A, for improved situational awareness. It also features provisions for defensive and survivability suites such as Aselsan's KARAT-100 Infra-Red Search and Track (IRST), TOYGUN-100 Electro-Optical Tracking System, a Distributed Aperture System (DAS), and an IRIS Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS).

Carrier capability

The aircraft is designed in a way that makes it capable to takeoff and land on an amphibious assault ship, such as the TCG Anadolu, without any need for a catapult system.

Variants

During Teknofest 2022, Baykar announced that there will be at least 3 variants of Kızılelma with different engine configurations. The engines are produced by the Turkish-Ukrainian joint venture Black Sea Shield. ''Kızılelma-A'' will be capable of near-supersonic speeds, being powered by the AI-25TLT engine. ''Kızılelma-B'' will fly at supersonic speeds, powered by a single Ukrainian AI-322F engine. The ''Kızılelma-C'' will incorporate two AI-322F engines.

While the production prototype uses a Ukrainian AI-322 afterburning engine, allowing it to approach sonic speeds with improved maneuverability at high speeds. Baykar has stated that there will be several types of engines available for Kızılelma within 5–6 years, aiming to reduce foreign dependency.

Features

* Satellite control
* Fully-autonomous takeoff and landing
* Low radar cross-section
* High maneuverability
* Line Of Sight (LOS) and Beyond LOS (BLOS) controlled
* Takeoff and landing capability from short-runway aircraft carriers
* High situational awareness with AESA radar
* Internal weapons bays

Operators

Planned operators of Bayraktar Kızılelma

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* Turkish Air Force
* Turkish Navy

Specifications (Kızılelma-A)

See also

Other UCAVs of Turkey
*Bayraktar TB2
*Bayraktar TB3
*Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı
*TAI Anka
* TAI Aksungur
*TAI Anka-3
* Vestel Karayel

China:
* FH-97A(2022)
* WZ-8(in service since 2018)
* MD-22(2022)
* FL-71(2018)
* AVIC Dark Sword(2006)
USA:
* Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie(2016)
* Boeing MQ-25 Stingray(2013)
Australia :
* Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat(2019)
India:
* HAL Combat Air Teaming System(2017)

References

{{Stealth aircraft

Stealth aircraft
Unmanned stealth aircraft
Single-engined jet aircraft
Kızılelma
2020s Turkish military aircraft
Canard aircraft