Türkiye Tests Bayraktar KIZILELMA Unmanned Fighter Jet With Precision-Guided Bomb Strike Capability.

Turkish defense company Baykar has successfully conducted live-fire tests of precision-guided bombs from its Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned fighter aircraft, marking a new milestone for the jet-powered platform. The demonstration strengthens Turkey’s push to field a domestically produced unmanned strike ecosystem capable of operating in contested environments.

Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar has advanced the combat capabilities of its Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned fighter aircraft by completing live-fire trials with precision-guided bombs. The tests confirmed that the jet-powered unmanned combat aircraft can deliver accurate air-to-ground strikes with domestically produced guided munitions, expanding the platform’s operational strike role. KIZILELMA, designed as a high-performance UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) capable of operating alongside manned fighters and from short-runway or naval platforms, is a central element of Turkey’s next-generation unmanned air combat strategy. The successful weapons release highlights progress toward integrating sovereign Turkish weapons and sensors across the country’s growing unmanned combat aviation ecosystem.

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Turkish Baykar’s Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned fighter aircraft releases an ASELSAN LGK-82 precision-guided bomb during live firing tests, validating the platform’s air-to-ground strike capability with Turkish-developed guided munitions. (Picture source: Baykar)

On March 15, 2026, the company confirmed that the tests involved two Turkish precision-guided weapons. These were the ASELSAN LGK-82 laser guidance kit with the MK-82 500-pound general-purpose bomb and the ROKETSAN TEBER-82 guidance kit. The TEBER-82 converts conventional bombs into GPS/INS and laser-guided smart munitions. Munitions were released from the Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned fighter during flight tests. This marks another step toward making the aircraft a stealth-capable strike platform. The platform is designed to complement manned fighters in future Turkish air operations.

The LGK-82 (Laser Guidance Kit) developed by ASELSAN converts standard MK-82 bombs into precision laser-guided weapons capable of striking moving or stationary targets. The system uses semi-active laser homing and offers high accuracy against armored vehicles, fortified positions, and battlefield infrastructure. Its operational range typically extends to several kilometers, depending on release altitude and aircraft speed, allowing unmanned platforms to conduct precision attacks while remaining outside the range of many short-range air defense systems.

The TEBER-82 guidance kit, produced by ROKETSAN, provides dual guidance via GPS/INS navigation and semi-active laser homing. This configuration allows the weapon to engage both pre-planned coordinates and dynamically designated targets. The kit includes aerodynamic control surfaces that increase standoff distance and improve accuracy, with a circular error probable measured in only a few meters when laser designation is available. The weapon is designed for network-enabled targeting and compatibility with multiple aircraft types.

Integration of these munitions onto the Bayraktar KIZILELMA significantly expands the aircraft’s role beyond reconnaissance and electronic warfare to full precision-strike operations. The aircraft is designed as a jet-powered, unmanned fighter with low radar cross-section, enabling it to operate alongside manned combat aircraft such as the Turkish Air Force’s F-16 fleet and the future TF-X KAAN fighter. Its ability to carry smart bombs internally or on external stations allows it to support suppression of enemy air defenses, battlefield interdiction, and maritime strike missions.

KIZILELMA is expected to play a central role in Turkey’s manned-unmanned teaming concept. In this approach, autonomous or remotely controlled aircraft coordinate with piloted fighters to expand sensor coverage, increase strike mass, and reduce pilot risk. The aircraft’s design emphasizes high speed and carrier-capable operations. This allows deployment from the Turkish Navy’s TCG Anadolu amphibious assault ship. KIZILELMA is also compatible with many indigenous Turkish weapons.

The successful live-firing trials highlight the rapid maturation of Turkey’s domestic defense industrial base, particularly the growing integration among Baykar, ASELSAN, and ROKETSAN, which collectively provide the aircraft platform, sensors, and guided munitions. This vertically integrated ecosystem allows Turkey to field complete unmanned combat systems without reliance on foreign weapons or export approvals, a strategic objective that has accelerated following past restrictions on defense technology transfers.

From an operational standpoint, adding precision-guided bombs to a jet-powered unmanned fighter gives Turkish forces a new layer of strike flexibility. Compared to propeller-driven UCAVs like the Bayraktar TB2 or Akinci, KIZILELMA offers much higher speed and better survivability. It can also penetrate more contested airspace and deliver heavier precision payloads.

These trials show that the platform is moving toward full combat qualification as Turkey expands its next-generation unmanned air combat capabilities. If operational deployment goes as planned, KIZILELMA could become one of the world’s first carrier-capable unmanned fighter aircraft. It would be able to deliver precision-guided bombs in coordinated combat with manned jets.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.