The Bayraktar Kızılelma (English: Red Apple) is a single-engine, low-observable,[4] carrier-capable,[5][6][7] jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), currently in development by Turkish defense company Baykar.
Baykar CTO Selçuk Bayraktar had initially announced that the Kızılelma was expected to make its maiden flight in 2023,[4] adding that a jet-powered UCAV was a "12-year-long dream".
The project was initially known as MIUS (Turkish: Muharip İnsansız Uçak Sistemi English: Combatant Unmanned Aircraft System).
On the same day of the name disclosure, Selçuk Bayraktar revealed that the first Kızılelma prototype has entered the assembly line.
[14] This prototype, with tail number TC-ÖZB3, featured significant structural and airframe differences from the original, including an afterburning engine, aerodynamic improvements, and an updated avionics architecture.
[15] In October 2024, Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar announced that mass production of Kızılelma had begun, with one vehicle already produced.
[32][4] The aerodynamic controls feature canards-delta configuration, previously seen on certain stealth aircraft such as the Chengdu J-20 and the AVIC Dark Sword.
[15] The aircraft is designed in a way that makes it capable to takeoff and land on an amphibious assault ship, such as the TCG Anadolu, without any need for a catapult system.