Bayraktar Kızılelma Explained

The Bayraktar Kızılelma (English: Red Apple) is a single-engine, low-observable, carrier-capable,^{[1] [2]} jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), currently in development by Turkish defense company Baykar. The aircraft is being developed as part of Project MIUS (Turkish: Muharip İnsansız Uçak Sistemi; English: Combatant Unmanned Aircraft System). The initial Bayraktar Kızılelma (Kızılelma-A) is subsonic. Planned variants (Kızılelma-B and Kızılelma-C) are intended to be supersonic, the latter having a twin-engined configuration. It is one of the two Turkish jet-powered stealth UCAV along with TAI Anka-3.

Baykar CTO Selçuk Bayraktar had initially announced that the Kızılelma was expected to make its maiden flight in 2023, adding that a jet-powered UCAV was a "12-year-long dream". The Kızılelma was able to complete its first flight ahead of the expected date, in December 2022.^{[3] [4]}

Development

The first conceptual studies for Bayraktar MIUS started in 2013. In July 2021, the first design images and information about the characteristics of the aircraft were shared with the public.

Engine selection

The AI-322 Turbofan Engine Supply Agreement and AI-25TLT Turbofan Engine Integration Agreement were signed between Baykar and Ukrainian Ivchenko-Progress at the SahaExpo event in November 2021. The first prototypes will go at subsonic speeds using AI-25TLT engines. The next prototypes are expected to be supersonic with AI-322F engines.

Disclosure of the project name

The project was initially known as MIUS (Turkish: Muharip İnsansız Uçak Sistemi English: Combatant Unmanned Aircraft System). Its official name, Kızılelma (Red Apple in Turkish, was made public in March 2022.

Prototypes

On the same day of the name disclosure, Selçuk Bayraktar revealed that the first Kızılelma prototype has entered the assembly line.^{[5] [6]} The first ready-to-fly prototype was displayed to the public in Teknofest 2022.^[7]

Beginning of the testing process

• The first engine integration test was successfully conducted on 19 September 2022.^[8]
• On 20 November 2022, automatic taxiing and ground running tests were carried out.^[9]
• Take-off test flights began on 3 December 2022 and Kızılelma cut its wheels off the ground for the first time.^[10]
• The aircraft made its maiden flight on 14 December 2022.^{[3] [4] [11]}
• The drone successfully made its second flight in mid-January 2023.^[12]
• 15 April 2023, aircraft completed its fourth flight test.
• 18 April 2023, aircraft completed its flight test with landing gear folded inside the fuselage .
• 19 April 2023, aircraft completed its sixth and seventh flight tests with serial landing-take-off and high-speed flight trials.^[13]
• 20 April 2023, aircraft completed its eight flight test with high-speed flight and maneuver trials, as well as serial landing-take-off and passing trials.^[14]
• 30 April 2023, the Kızılelma UCAV flew in formation with a SoloTürk F-16C during TEKNOFEST 2023 in Istanbul.^[15] The Kızılelma UCAV is designed to be used as a loyal wingman by the combat aircraft of the Turkish Air Force.^[16]
• 17 June 2023, Turkish UAV Bayraktar KIZILELMA reached an altitude of 9.5 km during the 12th test flight.^[17]

Design

Airframe

The Kızılelma is an unmanned aircraft featuring a low-RCS supersonic airframe equipped with an AESA radar.^[18] The aircraft is powered by a turbofan engine fed by two air inlets. Yaw control is achieved with two vertical stabilizers. The aircraft has coupled-canard controls for increased maneuverability or better controlling the main wing airflow. Internal compartments will allow the aircraft to operate in contested environments while sustaining low observability.^[19]

The aerodynamic controls feature canards-delta configuration, previously seen on certain stealth aircraft such as the Chengdu J-20 and the AVIC Dark Sword, and non-stealth aircraft such as the Saab Viggen and Saab Gripen. The canards offer a trade-off between relatively less stealth but great maneuverability. Some control measures could be implemented to reduce its impact on radar signature.^[20]

The Kızılelma has a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 6000kg (13,000lb), with 1,500 kg of weight available for the payload. According to data shared by the company, the Kızılelma will have an operational altitude of 35000feet.

Carrier capability

The aircraft is designed in a way that makes it capable to takeoff and land on an amphibious assault ship, such as the TCG Anadolu, without any need for a catapult system.^{[2] [1]}

Variants

During Teknofest 2022, Baykar announced that there will be at least 3 variants of Kızılelma with different engine configurations. The engines are produced by the Turkish-Ukrainian joint venture Black Sea Shield.^{[21] [22] [23]} Kızılelma-A will be capable of near-supersonic speeds, being powered by the AI-25TLT engine. Kızılelma-B will fly at supersonic speeds, powered by a single Ukrainian AI-322F engine.^[24] The Kızılelma-C will incorporate two AI-322F engines.

While there are expectations to make use of Turkish-made Tusaş Engine Industries TF6000 turbofan engines in the future, nothing has been confirmed so far.

Features

• Satellite control
• Fully-autonomous takeoff and landing
• Low radar cross-section
• High maneuverability
• Line Of Sight (LOS) and Beyond LOS (BLOS) controlled
• Takeoff and landing capability from short-runway aircraft carriers
• High situational awareness with AESA radar
• Internal weapons bays

Operators

Planned operators of Bayraktar Kızılelma

[Unknown]^[25]

• • Turkish Air Force Turkish Navy

See also

Other UCAVs of Turkey

• Bayraktar TB2
• Baykar Bayraktar TB3
• Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı
• TAI Anka
• TAI Aksungur
• TAI Anka-3
• Vestel Karayel

China :

• FH-97A(2022)
• WZ-8(in service since 2018)
• MD-22(2022)
• FL-71(2018)
• AVIC Dark Sword(2006)

USA :

• Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie(2016)
• Boeing MQ-25 Stingray(2013)

Australia :

• Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat(2019)

India :

• HAL Combat Air Teaming System(2017)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Image of Baykar MIUS Kızılelma UCAVs deployed on TCG Anadolu (L-400). stargazete.com. 14 December 2022. 20 April 2023. 31 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221231010410/https://imgs.stargazete.com/imgsdisk/2022/12/14/carpici-tcg-anadolu-acikl-819_2-41.jpg. dead.
2. Web site: Here Is How UAVs Will Be Recovered Aboard TCG Anadolu. navalnews.com. Naval News. Tayfun Özberk. 1 May 2022.
3. Web site: Herk . Hans van . Kızılelma takes to the sky! . 2022-12-14 . www.scramble.nl . 14 December 2022 . en-GB.
4. Web site: Bayraktar Kızılelma: Maiden Flight. Baykar Technologies. 14 December 2022.
5. Selcuk . 1502606947295674369. Üretim hattına 3 buçuk yıl sonra daha büyük ve daha çevik bir balık girdi..
6. Web site: Unmanned Fighter Jet Hits Production Line: Turkey's Baykar . 2022-03-14 . defenseworld.net . English.
7. Web site: Yıldırım . Göksel . 30 August 2022 . İlk uçuşuna hazırlanan Bayraktar Kızılelma, TEKNOFEST KARADENİZ'de vitrine çıktı . Bayraktar Kızılelma, preparing for its first flight, was showcased at Teknofest 2022 . 2022-11-15 . . Turkish.
8. Web site: Işık . Yusuf Emir . 17 September 2022 . Bayraktar Kızılelma ilk motor entegrasyon testini başarıyla tamamladı . Bayraktar Kızılelma successfully completed its first engine integration test . 2022-11-15 . DefenceTurk . Turkish.
9. Web site: Garip . Ergin . 20 November 2022 . Bayraktar Kızılelma'nın ilk Otomatik Taksi ve Koşu Testi başarıyla tamamlandı . Bayraktar Kızılelma's first Automatic Taxiing and Ground Running Tests has been successfully completed . 2022-11-20 . Anadolu Agency.
10. Web site: 3 December 2022 . Bayraktar Kızılelma: Take-off and low altitude flight tests . Baykar Technologies.
11. Web site: 14 December 2022 . Kızılelma İnsansız Savaş Uçağı İlk Uçuşunu Gerçekleştirdi . Kızılelma unmanned fighter jet made its first flight . 14 December 2022 . Savunma Sanayi ST . Turkish.
12. Web site: Turkish unmanned fighter jet Kızılelma passes another test in 2nd flight BAYRKAR Technology.
13. Web site: iha.com.tr . KIZILELMA 6. ve 7. uçuş denemelerini gerçekleştirdi . 2023-04-20 . İhlas Haber Ajansı . tr.
14. Web site: 2023-04-20 . Bayraktar KIZILELMA, 8. uçuş testini başarıyla tamamladı . 2023-04-20 . Haber Aero . tr.
15. Web site: Flight of the Baykar MIUS Kızılelma UCAV at TEKNOFEST 2023. Savunma Sanayii. 30 April 2023.
16. Web site: Bayraktar Kızılelma, havacılık tarihinde ilkleri başardı. Habertürk TV. 7 June 2023.
17. SpriterTeam. 1669809306680668160. Turkish UAV Bayraktar KIZILELMA reached an altitude of 9.5 km during the 12th test flight.
18. Staff. (12 March 2022). "Baykar's unmanned combat aerial vehicle enters the production line." TRT World website Retrieved 13 March 2022.
19. Web site: Fighter UAV specifications . baykartech.com . 2022-03-29 . 17 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220817175146/https://baykartech.com/en/fighter-uav/ . dead .
20. Web site: Turkey's Fighter-Like Drone Emerges For Taxi Tests . The Drive . 21 November 2022 . Thomas . Newdick .
21. Web site: 2021-11-11 . MİUS'un Motorları İçin Ukrayna İle Yeni Anlaşma . 2022-03-30 . Turkish.
22. Web site: 2020-12-23 . MİUS'a Ukrayna motoru . 2022-03-30 . SavunmaSanayiST . tr.
23. Web site: Aerospace: Turkey and Ukraine team up for groundbreaking new defense sector drone joint venture . 2022-03-30 . bunews.
24. Web site: In a presentation made by @Baykar_Savunma in Ukraine, it has been revealed that there will be 2 different turbofan engines which will power the MIUS UCAV . 2021-08-18 . Twitter.
25. Web site: Oryx . An International Export Success: Global Demand For Bayraktar Drones Reaches All Time High . 2022-10-26 . Oryx.