Türkiye’s Bayraktar KIZILELMA Achieves an Unprecedented Global Breakthrough with an Air-to-Air Missile

Türkiye’s Bayraktar KIZILELMA Achieves an Unprecedented Global Breakthrough with an Air-to-Air Missile

The Turkish combat drone Bayraktar KIZILELMA has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first unmanned aircraft in the world to successfully shoot down a jet-powered aerial target using a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile.

Details of the Historic Test

During the test conducted off the coast of Sinop:

• The drone used the advanced MURAD AESA radar developed by ASELSAN to detect and lock onto the target.

• It launched the GÖKDOĞAN air-to-air missile, developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE.

• The missile struck the target with full precision — marking the first achievement of its kind in the field of unmanned combat aviation worldwide.

What Does This Achievement Mean?

With this successful test, KIZILELMA has become:

• The first UAV in the world to fire a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile.

• The first UAV to shoot down a jet-powered aerial target.

This breakthrough represents a major step for Türkiye toward entering the realm of next-generation unmanned fighter aircraft — and a development that could reshape the future of aerial warfare globally.