Turkey's drone maker Baykar revealed the latest photos of MIUS (Muharip Insansiz Ucak Sistemi – Unmanned Combat Aircraft System), Turkey's future unmanned jet aircraft, on the final assembly line. Selcuk Bayraktar, Baykar’s Chief Technology Officer, also posted the photographs and noted that his company launched another brand-new product three and a half years after beginning manufacturing of Akinci UCAV.
The company did not specify whether the model of MIUS is a mock-up or a prototype, but it appears to have the same shape and appearance as previously released drawings. Baykar announced the name of the project as “BAYRAKTAR KIZILELMA”. KIZILELMA means “red apple” in Turkish, but refers to an expression in Turkish mythology that symbolizes goals, ideas, or dreams that are far away, but whose attraction is greater the further away they are.
navalnews.com
“With the 5th generation fighters, the world is witnessing the end of manned fighters. No new manned combat aircraft will be developed. Unmanned systems will increasingly become the strongest elements on the battlefield in the future. We are also trying to ensure our country’s presence in future competitions”, said Selcuk Bayraktar, CTO of Baykar.
Baykar unveiled the MIUS project on June 20, 2021. The announcement came along with several surprising renderings showing the future Turkish TCG Anadolu helicopter landing dock. This was an unexpected development, as Baykar is reportedly working on the TB3 Bayraktar UCAV to be deployed aboard TCG Anadolu, and MIUS will be a second option for aircraft operations.
navalnews.com
The first BAYRAKTAR KIZILELMA prototype will use a turbofan to fly at Mach 0.8 near the speed of sound; later prototypes will fly at supersonic speeds. A SATCOM antenna will enable autonomous control via satellite, and MIUS can remain airborne for up to 5 hours. The unmanned jet will have 6 tons of takeoff weight and up to 1500 kg payload capacity. BAYRAKTAR KIZILELMA’s maiden flight is scheduled for the end of 2023.
