The fourth prototype of Baykar’s Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned fighter contines fight testing, which began in late May. Amid growing drone threats, it may soon offer an effective solution against russian loitering munitions like the Shahed series.
Baykar plans to equip Kizilelma with an advanced AESA radar system, enabling it to counter air threats in addition to ground targets—exactly what is needed to counter Shahed drones.
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Countries such as Ukraine, Israel, the U.S., and the U.K. currently rely on manned fighter jets to intercept drones like the Shahed, putting pilots at risk from friendly fire or debris. Manned interceptions also strain air force resources, as each response requires trained pilots on constant alert. A fighter drone like Kizilelma helps to minimize these risks. With an endurance of 5 to 6 hours, it can remain airborne long enough to respond to multiple threats and serve as a viable air defense tool.
The drone is expected to carry short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles. While these are costlier than traditional anti-aircraft guns, they offer much higher interception success rates against agile drones like the Shahed.
Among the planned armaments is the Turkish Roketsan Cirit missile—a cost-effective precision-guided munition similar to the American APKWS, which Ukraine has successfully used for drone interception.Integrating such weapons gives Kizilelma a cheaper but reliable alternative to more expensive air defense systems.
Although still in the testing phase, Baykar’s Kizilelma has strong future potential for air defense roles. With a Baykar production facility being built in Ukraine and the use of Ukrainian jet engines, this drone-fighter hybrid presents an appealing long-term solution for countering aerial threats.
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