One of the flagship projects of Türkiye’s defense industry, Bayraktar KIZILELMA, has once again made history by successfully conducting an autonomous formation flight. Developed by Baykar, the unmanned combat aircraft demonstrated the ability of two separate platforms to fly together in a fully autonomous manner without human intervention. This capability is considered a major breakthrough, not only for Türkiye but also for the future of global air combat concepts.

Defense industry experts underline that this test marks the first concrete step toward KIZILELMA operating in coordinated fleets. According to analysts, the ability of multiple unmanned combat aircraft to act together against a single target opens the door to a new era in aerial warfare. Similar to how TB2 UAVs were once employed in coordinated missions during cross-border operations, KIZILELMA is expected to elevate this operational concept to a far more advanced level with its jet-powered, low-observable design.

Thanks to its low radar visibility, high autonomy, and extended endurance, KIZILELMA is also expected to play a critical role in so-called “air patrol” missions. In such scenarios, several KIZILELMA platforms could continuously monitor designated airspaces, instantly detect potential threats, and either relay real-time intelligence or autonomously neutralize risks. This approach significantly reduces the burden on manned fighter jets while lowering operational costs and overcoming limitations related to fuel, pilot fatigue, and mission duration.

While many countries design next-generation unmanned combat aircraft primarily as “loyal wingmen” to support manned fighters, Türkiye is pursuing a distinctly different path. KIZILELMA is being developed as an independent combat asset capable of performing nearly all missions traditionally assigned to manned aircraft. The recent autonomous formation flight clearly illustrates this vision, showcasing how different KIZILELMA platforms could be assigned distinct roles such as reconnaissance, air defense, strike missions, or even sacrificial tasks to protect the rest of the fleet.

Experts believe that, just as TB2 UAVs once reshaped modern battlefields, KIZILELMA is poised to become a new “game changer” in the history of air power. With this successful test, Türkiye has effectively announced to the world that it is entering a new era of fully autonomous unmanned air combat operations.