Baykar Launches World's First Mass Production of Kizilelma UAV with Ukrainian Engine
In mid-2025, Turkey's Baykar Technologies announced the start of serial production for its jet-powered combat UAV, Kizilelma, with the first deliveries to the Turkish Armed Forces set for 2026. Developed under the MIUS program since the 2010s, Kizilelma is reportedly the first aircraft of its class to enter mass production, ahead of the U.S. and Israel, according to Baykar’s CTO Selçuk Bayraktar. The sixth prototype is nearly complete, with Ukrainian-made jet engines, such as the AI-322F and AI-25TLT, being used in earlier versions. Baykar also plans to manufacture the UAV in Ukraine at a new factory slated for completion in January 2025. Designed to operate from ships like the TCG Anadolu, Kizilelma will carry short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles, along with Roketsan’s Cirit missiles for intercepting UAVs like the Shahed.