First units of the next-generation UAV to be delivered in 2026; annual production expected to reach 12 units
Turkish company Baykar has officially announced the start of mass production of the Kizilelma, the country’s innovative unmanned combat drone. According to Turkish outlet Savunma Sanayi ST, the first deliveries are scheduled for 2026.
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“We started mass production of KIZILELMA this year. We expect it to reach the warehouse next year. We are continuing now. Currently, the sixth Kizilelma is on the production line,” said Selçuk Bayraktar, president of Baykar.
Bayraktar emphasized the historic importance of the project: “Turkey couldn’t even design its own aircraft before, but today it has achieved global leadership in unmanned aerial vehicle technology.”
Production and Capacity
The Turkish defense industry aims to produce up to 12 Kizilelma drones per year, positioning Turkey as a global reference in the development of combat UAVs.
History and Advances
The Kizilelma drone design was first unveiled in 2021, initially under the acronym MİUS (Muharip İnsansız Uçak Sistemi – Unmanned Combat Aircraft System). Just a year later, the project had already progressed to the prototype stage.
The first flight of Kizilelma was initially planned for 2023, but the milestone was reached earlier, with the drone taking off for the first time in December 2022. In January 2023, the aircraft successfully completed its second test flight, followed by several other successful tests.
Video: KIZILELMA completes aerodynamic test and advances in military schedule
With serial production already underway and an aggressive delivery schedule, Kizilelma is set to redefine Turkey’s role in global military aviation.
Source: savunmasanayist | X @SavunmaSanayiST | Baykar. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
