Turkey’s Kızılelma UCAV claims world’s first BVR air-to-air kill by drone
December 1, 2025
In August 2025, AGN reported Turkey’s Kızılelma unmanned combat aircraft had entered serial production. In October, the manufacturer, Baykar, reported it had conducted its first live-fire exercise, and now Baykar claims it has achieved its first air-to-air kill.
Turkey’s Kızılelma UCAV claims world’s first BVR air-to-air kill
According to Bakyar, this is the first time in history that an unmanned combat aircraft has struck a jet-powered target with a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile.
Bakyar stated, “For the first time in the world, an unmanned combat aircraft struck its target with a BVR air-to-air missile.” The missile used was a domestically produced Turkish Gökdoğan air-to-air missile.
It said, “Türkiye’s indigenous unmanned fighter jet struck a target aircraft, marked by ASELSAN’s MURAD AESA radar, with complete accuracy using TUBITAK SAGE’s GÖKDOĞAN air-to-air missile during a test off the coast of Sinop.”
In a video of the event posted on YouTube, the Kızılelma is seen accompanied by a group of Turkish F-16 Fighting Falcons. The level of autonomy of the Kızılelma is unclear.
Kızılelma has been designed with a low radar cross-section and features advanced sensors to enable it to detect enemy aircraft beyond visual range.
Baykar: a UACV leader
Baykar is a private Turkish company specializing in drones. Its drones, like the Bayrakar TB2, played significant roles in conflicts in Libya (2019-2020), Ethiopia (2020-2022), Syria (in 2016), and in the 2020 war between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The TB2 quickly became famous in the opening stage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine as Ukraine used it to pummel Russian assets. However, it was just as quickly rendered obsolete in that conflict after Russia got its air defence network in order.
Baykar’s Kızılelma UCAV is intended to form the core of the combat power on its TCG Anadolu flagship, which is a drone-carrying amphibious assault ship. Turkey is also building the world’s first full-sized, purpose-built drone aircraft carrier called the MUGEM.
BREAKING — First in aviation history: Turkey’s unmanned fighter jet Kizilelma successfully hit another aircraft by using an air-to-air missile in the coast of Sinop
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) November 30, 2025
The jet successfully destroyed a jet-engine–powered aerial target using a BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air… pic.twitter.com/h7E8od4DsD
Other notable UACV Baykar products include the Bayraktar TB3 and the Bayraktar Akıncı. The TB3 is expected to join the Kızılelma on the TCG Anadolu flattop. Other navies, like the US Navy, the French Navy, and the Royal Navy, are planning to have mixed manned and unmanned fleets operating from their aircraft carriers.
Get the latest aerospace defence news here on AGN.
Turkey developing a sizeable defence aerospace sector
The Kızılelma UCAV is huge and is presented by Baykar not as a loyal wingman drone, but as an unmanned fighter jet. Currently, the USAF is focused on loyal wingman drones (called Collaborative Combat Aircraft), although Shield AI has recently unveiled its concept of a VTOL unmanned fighter jet.
Turkey is currently developing a range of advanced military aircraft, from various levels of drones, to attack helicopters to the KAAN fighter jet. While the KAAN fighter is powered by US-supplied GE-F110 engines, the Kızılelma is powered by a modified Ukrainian AI-322F turbojet engine built by Ivchenko Progress and Motor Sich.
Dünyada ilk kez bir insansız savaş uçağı, görüş ötesi havadan havaya füze ile hedefini vurdu.
— BAYKAR (@BaykarTech) November 30, 2025
For the first time in the world, an unmanned combat aircraft struck its target with a BVR air-to-air missile.
Bayraktar #KIZILELMA ✈️🚀🍎
✅ GÖKDOĞAN Füzesi Atış Testi
✅ GÖKDOĞAN… pic.twitter.com/KCSxlaA2Hu
The KAAN fighter jet has attracted orders from Indonesia as well as interest from Spain. Turkey has also recently signed an agreement with Spain to provide next-generation TAI Hürjet trainers for the Spanish Air and Space Force.
Featured Image: Selçuk Bayraktar
