Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar has announced plans to make a supersonic variant of its unmanned fighter jet, the Bayraktar Kızılelma, currently in development as part of Project MIUS (National Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle System).
Speaking on the features of Kızılelma, Turkey’s first indigenously developed and produced unmanned fighter aircraft, chief technology officer (CTO) Selçuk Bayraktar commented; “Kızılelma will be able to fight against warplanes, its cruising time is several times longer compared to Baykar’s latest drone, the Akıncı unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). We even plan to make a supersonic variant.”
The National Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle System, named Kızılelma (Red Apple), with low detectability and hypersonic speed, is an extremely critical and strategic project by Baykar who develop and manufacture battle-proven combat drones.
The uncrewed fighter jet is projected to be capable of flying for five hours and reaching speeds of up to 800 kph (500 mph or Mach 0.64), and is being designed conduct a multitude of military actions including; such as strategic offensives, close air support (CAS), missile offensives, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) and destruction of enemy air defenses (DEAD).
