Turkish industry and media have welcomed a recent live-fire test in which a Kyzylma Unmanned Combat Aircraft (UCAV) destroyed a targeted drone using a Turkish-made air-to-air missile. Türkiye claimed the test marked the first time an unmanned fighter jet fired a radar-guided air-to-air missile. But while undoubtedly impressive, there are still open questions about how the engagement will actually take place, particularly the extent to which the unmanned fighter jets will be controlled by manned fighter jets.
In addition to radar-guided missiles, it’s worth noting that the idea of drone-launched air-to-air missiles is not new. For example, in 2002, an emergency development program placed infrared-guided AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles on U.S. Air Force MQ-1 Predator drones. A Stinger-equipped Predator even fired at an Iraqi MiG-25 Foxbat, which subsequently shot down the drone. The United States has also long explored the idea of using MQ-9 Reapers for air-to-air missions, at least for self-defense. In a test in 2017, Reapers successfully shot down a target drone using an AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile. Earlier this year, it was reported that in 2024, an MQ-9 attempted to intercept an unidentified object in the air near the coast of Yemen. As you can read here, this appears to be the first known instance of a Reaper engaging any type of aerial target in a combat environment.
Below is the video I revealed on our website @GOPoversight The UAP hearing is open to the public for the first time today.
October 30, 2024: An MQ-9 Reaper allegedly tracked an orb off the coast of Yemen.
Authorized to engage, missiles appear to be ineffective against target… pic.twitter.com/jxJwl0e00S
— Rep. Eric Burlison (@RepEricBurlison) September 9, 2025
Back to the test in Turkey, which took place on November 28 and was announced yesterday. A video released by Kyzylma manufacturer Baykar shows a UCAV (specifically a PT-5 aircraft) taking off alongside four Turkish Air Force F-16s. A total of five F-16s participated in the live-fire test, including one aircraft that acted as a safety chase aircraft. An Akinci high-altitude long-endurance unmanned fighter jet also performed the pursuit mission.
An F-16D accompanying the Kizilma can be seen from the cockpit of another Viper. Turkish defense industry screencap
The Kizilma is equipped with two “Geek Dogan” air-to-air missiles on its external pylons. One was apparently inert, while the other was a powered missile (located under the starboard wing) fired at a target drone. It should be noted that external weapons carrying reduces the radar signature reduction measures that manufacturers say are built into the drone fighter. However, the drone is also planned to carry items in an internal weapons bay, which will retain these measures.
The beyond visual range (BVR) Gökdoğan (meaning “Peregrine Falcon”), developed by TÜBITAK SAGE, has radar guidance and a reported range of approximately 40 miles. The Gökdoğan is expected to eventually replace the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) in the Turkish Air Force’s inventory, you can read more about it here.
An F-16C test aircraft is equipped with short-range “Bozdogan” air-to-air missiles under the wings and medium-range “Gekdogan” air-to-air missiles on the wingtips. Turkish defense industry screencap
The video shows the Gökdoğan missile climbing after launch, putting it on a high-altitude trajectory, which increases its kinetic energy and allows it to hit targets at longer distances. Footage captured from the target drone later documented an almost direct head-on collision with the incoming missile.
Turkish Air Force Commander General Ziya Cemal Kadıoglu announced the live-fire test and issued the following statement:
“Today, we opened the door to a new era in the history of aviation. For the first time in the world, an unmanned combat aircraft launched a radar-guided air-to-air missile and hit an air target with perfect accuracy. Our fully indigenous Bayraktar Kizilelma aircraft successfully completed this historic mission with Aselsan’s Murad radar and over-the-horizon active radar-guided Gökdoğan missiles…Turkey has become the first country in the world to achieve this goal. The Turkish Armed Forces have [made] History, the door to the next generation of air combat has been opened. “
The missile-equipped Kizilma took off. Turkish defense industry screencap
According to the statement, it is unclear whether the Kizilma drone acquired targets using the Murad Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar or its Toygun electro-optical sensor and targeting system, both of which were developed by Aselsan and have been previously tested on the PT-5.
The possible use of infrared search and track (IRST) systems on toy guns during engagements is particularly interesting.
As we have discussed many times in the past, such IRST sensors provide a very useful way to detect and track airborne threats, especially stealth aircraft and missiles, and can be used as a replacement and/or companion to radar. Unlike radar, IRST has the added advantage of being immune to electronic warfare attacks. Because they operate passively, they do not emit signals that would alert an adversary that they have been targeted.
Launch solutions for the Gökdoğan missile, as well as in-flight updates, may be provided by the Kizilelma’s onboard sensors, or by one or more accompanying F-16s, which will then pass the targeting information to the UCAV. In fact, the entire engagement may have relied on information data links from third-party assets, meaning that the Kizilma itself did not capture the target.
Kizilma was on the runway, leading four of the five F-16s participating in the live-fire test. Turkish defense industry screencap
There is also the question of whether the Kizilma UAV was controlled from an F-16 during live-fire testing, or from the ground, or both.
Having an unmanned fighter jet controlled by a manned tactical jet would be a very significant achievement for Turkey, a capability currently limited to trials of high-end U.S. drones as well as certain Chinese drones. At the same time, it should be noted that we currently do not know what explorations these two countries may have conducted in classified areas. Russia has reportedly conducted flight tests of its S-70 Okhotnik unmanned fighter jets with air-to-air missiles, but there is no evidence that the missiles have been fired. Earlier this year, the Air Force conducted a high-profile mock mission in which an MQ-20 Avenger drone was controlled by an F-22 Raptor pilot, but the drone did not fire any weapons.
What is clear is that Türkiye’s testing is proceeding very quickly.
The weapons captive-carrying trials on the Kizilma only began in September, starting with domestic air-to-ground ammunition. The first launch of air-to-ground weapons, specifically inert bombs such as the Torun glide bomb and the TEBER-82 guided bomb, was announced in October. Subsequently, the first flight carrying the Gökdoğan missile was carried out 10 days before the live-fire test.
Türkiye may well be trying to steal the thunder from Boeing, which announced in November that it expected to conduct its first live-fire firing using an MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone sometime this month. The test will involve the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.
Front view of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone. Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Air Force
Boeing officials said on multiple occasions earlier this year that the MQ-28-launched AMRAAM could launch in late 2025 or early 2026.
Even before live-fire testing, the Kizilma was already a high-profile project, one of the few fighter-type air combat UAV programs that has developed hardware. Development of Kizilma began as early as 2013, although the project was not announced to the public until a concept study was presented in July 2021.
The unmanned combat aircraft are said to be supersonic (at least in future versions), have a certain degree of observable characteristics, and are tailor-made for air combat missions typically performed by manned fighters. In particular, it is seen as a drone companion to Türkiye’s next-generation TF Kaan manned fighter jet.
Turkey’s next-generation fighter jet, formerly known as TF-X and now TF Kaan, made its first flight in January 2024. byX
The Kizilma is powered by a single turbofan engine, has a canard delta configuration, the same type seen in some other reduced observability fighter designs, and has a canted vertical stabilizer.
The UCAV made its first test flight in December 2022, albeit briefly, and you can read about it here . The milestone was achieved just weeks after Kizilma’s ground testing.
The Kizilma during taxi trials. Baykar
Overall, Kizilma’s design appears to be more focused on high performance than low observability.
With this in mind, the fact that it is now taking part in air-to-air engagements in a live test environment is particularly significant.
All in all, it suggests that the Kizilma is envisioned for more fighter-like missions, including direct air combat with other platforms, rather than air-to-ground missions, although it is being developed for those missions as well, and electronic warfare would be another possible role.
On the other hand, while the Kizilma is being proposed to support coordinated manned fighter operations, it is unclear how this concept would work.
The Kizilma, loaded with missiles, taxied to prepare for takeoff. Turkish defense industry screencap
It remains to be seen when the Kizilma will become a true “loyal wingman” drone companion to manned fighter jets, or whether the drone will be controlled from a ground station until its ability to participate in collaborative operations is demonstrated. In the past it was thought it would be used for independent and collaborative operations depending on the mission, but the level of airborne autonomy and networking required for the latter to work remains a target for the world’s most capable air force.
Also of interest is whether the Kizilma will at some point shoot down enemy aircraft with some degree of autonomy as described above. The latter point is something the Air Force has been grappling with, which you can read about here .
But overall, the first live firing of a Gökdoğan air-to-air missile from the Kizilma is another important step in the program and in Türkiye’s rapidly expanding drone development. While the details of the engagement may not be entirely clear, the high-profile test underscores the fact that the country has found a real niche here, particularly in the development of armed drones.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com