Bayraktar Kızılelma PT3 surpasses prototype expectations in latest test flight Photo/Video

Türkiye’s Bayraktar Kızılelma, the unmanned fighter jet developed by drone pioneer Baykar, has successfully completed its latest round of test flights.

According to a statement shared by Baykar on X, the testing process for the indigenous jet continues as scheduled, with significant advancements in its capabilities, Caliber.Az reports.

Bayraktar #KIZILELMA PT-3 ✈️🚀🍎

✅ Test Uçuşu | AB Kalkışlı Aerodinamik Sistem Tanımlama Testi
✅ Test Flight | AB-Assisted Takeoff Aerodynamics System Identification Test#MilliTeknolojiHamlesi 🌍🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/2qBcp8sVbG

— BAYKAR (@BaykarTech) March 15, 2025

The most recent test flight, conducted on March 15, saw the aircraft, identified as production prototype TC-OZB3 with the serial number PT3, take off from the Akıncı Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, with its afterburner engaged. During the flight, the aircraft successfully completed aerodynamic system identification, marking a key milestone in its development.

The afterburner, an additional combustion component commonly used in military supersonic jets, is designed to boost thrust for supersonic flight, takeoff, and combat operations. Drawing on lessons learned from earlier prototypes, significant improvements were made to the production model, including structural enhancements and upgrades to its avionics architecture.

In addition to these upgrades, the test flight was powered by a newly integrated alternative to the afterburner, increasing the aircraft’s speed and agility. The Bayraktar Kızılelma is now poised to approach the speed of sound and perform even better at higher velocities, thanks to aerodynamic refinements. Equipped with an AESA radar, it will also be capable of executing complex missions with enhanced situational awareness.

Baykar has stated that the Bayraktar Kızılelma, with its advanced manoeuvrability and radar-evading stealth capabilities, is set to become a formidable force. The fighter jet is designed to take off and land on short-deck aircraft carriers, such as the TCG Anadolu, and can carry out missions using internal weapons bays.

As the development continues, Bayraktar Kızılelma’s combination of speed, agility, and stealth promises to make it a crucial asset for Türkiye’s military operations.

By Aghakazim Guliyev