Baykar Technologies has signed a framework agreement with Indonesian firm PT Republikorp for the supply of 12 Bayraktar KIZILELMA jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), with initial deliveries scheduled to begin in 2028. The deal, which includes options for additional units up to a total of 60 aircraft, marks the first export customer for Turkey’s indigenous supersonic-capable UCAV programme and signals a deepening of Ankara–Jakarta defence-industrial cooperation.The agreement was announced by Baykar on LinkedIn on 9 May 2026, with the company stating that the contract “will contribute to further deepening the strategic defence industry cooperation between Türkiye and Indonesia.” The post featured the national flags of both countries alongside the hashtags #KIZILELMA and #kizilelma.The Bayraktar KIZILELMA (Turkish for “Red Apple”), developed under Baykar’s MIUS (Muharip İnsansız Uçak Sistemi) project, is a canard-delta, low-observable UCAV designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. It is the first Turkish-designed combat aircraft to feature internal weapons bays, an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and fully autonomous operations including takeoff, landing, and taxiing from short or carrier decks such as the TCG Anadolu amphibious assault ship. In November 2025 the KIZILELMA became the first UCAV worldwide to autonomously fire a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile (Gökdoğan) using its own AESA radar for guidance. In December 2025 two KIZILELMA aircraft conducted the world’s first autonomous close-formation flight between unmanned fighter-type platforms, demonstrating AI-enabled cooperative mission capabilities.
Baykar began mass production of the KIZILELMA in October 2024. The company has built five prototypes and has one serial-production aircraft completed, with plans to deliver more than ten airframes by the end of 2026. The Turkish Armed Forces are scheduled to receive their first operational examples in the first quarter of 2026.Key performance figures include a length of 14.5 m, a wingspan of 10 m and a height of 3.5 m. Maximum takeoff weight reaches up to 8,500 kg depending on variant and configuration, while the aircraft can carry a 1,500 kg payload across six external hardpoints and two internal stations. It achieves a maximum speed of 1,100 km/h (Mach 0.9) with a cruise speed of approximately 735 km/h, a combat radius of 930 km on internal fuel, a service ceiling of 14,000 m (45,000 ft), and an endurance of more than three hours. The aircraft is powered by Ukrainian-designed Ivchenko-Progress turbofans produced locally through the Turkish–Ukrainian Black Sea Shield joint venture. Early prototypes used the non-afterburning AI-25TLT for subsonic operations (KIZILELMA-A), while later examples and the production standard incorporate the afterburning AI-322F for supersonic dash capability (KIZILELMA-B). A twin-engined KIZILELMA-C variant is also under consideration. Avionics include the indigenous Aselsan MURAD AESA radar (MURAD-200A in production aircraft), KARAT infrared search-and-track (IRST), TOYGUN electro-optical targeting system, electronic-warfare pods, and a national signals-intelligence module. The airframe features a reduced radar cross-section design with internal weapons carriage to enhance survivability.Recent flight-test milestones underscore the programme’s maturity.
The Indonesian contract represents a significant breakthrough for Baykar, whose Bayraktar TB2 family has already achieved widespread international success. Jakarta’s decision to acquire the more advanced KIZILELMA is particularly noteworthy as it coincides with Indonesia’s planned acquisition of the former Italian Navy light aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi (C 551). The Garibaldi, expected to enter Indonesian service in the late 2020s following refurbishment, will provide a dedicated platform for carrier-compatible unmanned systems. Industry observers note that the KIZILELMA’s STOBAR (short takeoff but arrested recovery) compatibility and autonomous deck operations make it a natural complement to the carrier’s future air wing, alongside other Baykar platforms such as the TB3.This dual procurement — the KIZILELMA UCAVs and the Garibaldi carrier — underscores Indonesia’s ambitious push to develop a credible carrier-based unmanned aviation capability. The combination offers Jakarta a cost-effective way to project power across its vast archipelagic territory while enhancing maritime domain awareness, strike options, and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HADR) roles. The deal is expected to include provisions for local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) as well as potential future licensed production elements, aligning with Indonesia’s long-term goal of building a domestic aerospace and defence industrial base.
Industry sources note that the KIZILELMA ’s carrier-compatible design and loyal-wingman potential could also make it attractive for other operators seeking cost-effective force multipliers for fourth- and fifth-generation fighter fleets.Baykar has not disclosed the contract value, but analysts estimate each KIZILELMA airframe, including weapons and support package, will cost significantly less than equivalent Western UCAVs while offering comparable or superior autonomy and sensor performance. The export announcement comes as Baykar continues to expand its international footprint. The company has previously indicated interest from multiple undisclosed nations and is positioning the KIZILELMA as a potential “loyal wingman” platform for the Turkish Air Force’s TF-X (KAAN) fifth-generation fighter as well as for European programmes such as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) through its partnership discussions with Italy’s Leonardo.With series production now under way and the first export customer secured in a strategically synergistic package with a carrier platform, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA is poised to become one of the most significant new entries in the global unmanned combat aircraft market in the late 2020s.
