Turkish defense company Baykar aims to begin the first serial deliveries of its Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft this year, Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar said Saturday.
Speaking at Anadolu’s Technology Desk during the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition in Istanbul, Bayraktar said KIZILELMA continues to undergo intensive flight testing as the company moves toward serial production.
“We aim to carry out the first serial deliveries within this year,” he said.
Bayraktar, who also serves as chairman of SAHA Istanbul, said the development reflected the transformation of Türkiye’s defense industry over the past two decades.
He noted that SAHA Istanbul was founded in 2015 with 27 members to strengthen localization efforts in the defense and aerospace sectors under Türkiye’s National Technology Initiative.
“In 2002, there were at most around 20 defense industry companies in Türkiye. Today, in 2026, we are talking about more than 3,000 companies serving the defense sector,” he said.
Bayraktar said Turkish defense exports rose from $250 million to more than $10 billion last year, with a target of $13 billion this year.
He added that SAHA Istanbul has grown into Europe’s largest industrial cluster, now exceeding 1,300 members and including more than 30 universities.
$8 billion in export agreements at SAHA
Bayraktar said this year’s SAHA exhibition attracted strong participation from Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
“Some even say that when you look westward from China, the deepest and strongest ecosystem is now in Türkiye,” he said.
According to Bayraktar, more than 196 signing ceremonies were held during the exhibition and export agreements worth $8 billion were signed.
He said Turkish defense company ARCA Defense accounted for $4.3 billion of the agreements, while Baykar signed the first export contract for KIZILELMA.
“This is historically significant,” he said.
Bayraktar emphasized that SAHA prioritizes operational and field-tested systems over conceptual prototypes.
“All the platforms you see at Baykar are flying platforms that have completed flight tests,” he said.
Domestic engine production expands
Bayraktar said embargoes imposed on Türkiye in previous years accelerated domestic technological development.
“We experienced this many times. During Azerbaijan’s One Homeland Operation, there were problems in camera supply. ASELSAN’s national solution immediately came into play,” he said.
He also highlighted advances in engine development.
The turbo-diesel engine for the Bayraktar TB3 is being developed by TUSAS Engine Industries, while Baykar has localized engine production for the Bayraktar TB2 after previously relying on imports.
“We are establishing a mass-production line and will manufacture thousands annually,” he said.
Bayraktar added that work on turbofan engines continues both within TEI and through Baykar’s own projects.
KIZILELMA and future exports
Bayraktar described KIZILELMA as the latest stage in a 25-year evolution of unmanned aerial vehicle technology.
“Currently, except for the engine, all systems of the aircraft have been developed domestically,” he said.
He noted that the aircraft first flew in December 2022 and has continued flight testing since then.
“With the AESA radar developed by ASELSAN and the air-to-air missiles developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE, for the first time in the world an air-to-air target was hit by an unmanned combat aircraft,” he said.
“The first system to achieve this was KIZILELMA,” he added.
Bayraktar said Indonesia had pushed for an agreement on KIZILELMA for about a year, but Baykar waited until the aircraft completed testing and initial domestic deliveries before signing the deal.
“We have signed the first export agreement for 12 Bayraktar KIZILELMA aircraft,” he said.
“We aim to begin the first deliveries in 2028.”
Investments in drones, AI and loitering munitions
Bayraktar said Baykar finances its research and development projects through export revenues and continues investing in space technologies through the Fergani Space initiative led by Selcuk Bayraktar.
He said Baykar now manufactures the engines used in all of its loitering munitions and stressed the importance of supply chain resilience for large-scale production.
“To produce in high quantities, you need a very robust supply chain,” he said.
Bayraktar also announced plans to establish drone and education centers across all 81 Turkish provinces as well as in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus using profits generated from SAHA 2026.
He added that Baykar aims to establish a large public drone park in Istanbul where young people can build, test and fly drones.
“We want an open-to-the-public drone park in Istanbul where young people and children can come,” he said.
Bayraktar said Türkiye’s defense sector has become a driver of technological sovereignty and industrial growth.
“If we are to be a strong Türkiye and secure our future in such a difficult geography, we can only achieve that through technological sovereignty,” he said.
*Writing by Berk Kutay Gokmen
