Baykar Bayraktar Kızılelma is a new generation Turkish combat drone
Since the beginning of March 2022, the Turkish company Baykar has several times under various pretexts mentioned its jet supersonic inconspicuous deck UAV of the new generation Bayraktar Kızılelma or Bayraktar MIUS (Turkish Bayraktar Muharip İnsansız Uçak Sistemi). What kind of beast is this, which Baykar is developing in cooperation with the Ukrainian state enterprise Zaporizhzhya Machine-Building Design Bureau “Progress” named after Academician OG Ivchenko?
Bayraktar MIUS, the prototype of which on March 12, 2022 received its own name Kızılelma (Ukrainian: Red Apple) and was transferred to the production line, is a heavy strike UAV, which in most respects corresponds to the American General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, and speed far superior to the latter.
Bayraktar Kızılelma has a takeoff weight of about 6000 kg and can lift up to 1500 kg of bombs and missiles. It is planned to make two modifications of the UAV. MIUS-A, equipped with Ukrainian AI-25TLT engine from Ivchenko-Progress will have a subsonic speed, while MIUS-B with Ivchenko-Progress engine AI-322F or Turkish TEI TF-6000 will have a capacity of 2, 5 times higher and faster than the speed of sound. It is assumed that the UAV Bayraktar Kızılelma will be launched from aboard the universal landing craft (light aircraft carrier) TCG Anadolu (L-400) of the Turkish Navy, without the help of a catapult system.
Features of Bayraktar Kızılelma: radar with active phased array antenna; small effective scattering area, ie UAV “invisible”; aerodynamic scheme “duck” (vertical plumage and front horizontal rudders), the introduction of AI-systems to control a single drone or even a flock; possibility of aggressive maneuvering.
Combat missions of the new UAV: suppression of enemy air defenses, missile strikes, air support fire, strategic attacks. The arsenal of weapons is impressive. These include anti-radar missiles, anti-tank missiles, air-to-air missiles, grenades, a large selection of bombs, which contains even heavy anti-tank bombs.
For the first time, on paper Bayraktar MIUS was announced on August 4, 2021, and on March 12, 2022 the prototype drone went into production. The first flight and commissioning of Bayraktar Kızılelma is scheduled for 2023. Looking at how fast Baykar is replenishing its UAV line, the dates look very real.
Characteristics of Bayraktar KIzIlelma:
Load capacity – 1500 kg
Maximum takeoff weight – 6000 kg
Power plant – 1 × AI-25TLT or AI-322F or TEI TF-6000
Maximum speed – 900 km / h
Cruise speed – 740 km / h
Combat range – 930 km
Exposure – 5 hours
Ceiling – 12,000 m
Operating height – 10 668 m
Recall that this year the first flight of another Baykar drone is planned – Bayraktar TB3, which is an enlarged version of the beloved Ukrainian favorite Bayraktar TB2 (carrying capacity up to 280 kg versus 150 kg for TB2). In addition, Baykar continues to supply the Turkish Armed Forces with the latest Bayraktar Akıncı heavy UAVs.