Indonesia Becomes First Export Customer of Turkey’s Kizilelma Combat Drone

Turkish defense firm Baykar Technologies has signed its first export agreement for the Bayraktar Kizilelma combat drone with Indonesia, with deliveries set to begin in 2028.

Announced during a defense exhibition in Istanbul with Jakarta’s state enterprise Republikorp, the deal covers an initial fleet of 12 drones and includes options for up to 48 additional platforms in future orders.

The contract also includes plans to establish production, sustainment, and support hubs in the Southeast Asian country, supporting larger industrial cooperation between Turkey and Indonesia.

The nations have recently expanded defense ties through separate agreements covering TB3 and Akinci drones, the Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet, and Istif-class frigates. 

The Bayraktar Kizilelma Drone

Baykar’s Kizilelma completed its maiden flight in 2022 and remains in flight testing ahead of planned admittance into the Turkish Armed Forces later this year.

In addition to autonomous flight, the platform features internal weapons bays and low radar visibility for continuous lethality and stealth capability.

The combat drone measures 15 meters (49 feet) long, has a wingspan of 10 meters (33 feet), and a payload capacity of 1,500 kilograms (3,300 pounds).

Depending on configuration, the aircraft is powered by up to two Ivchenko-Progress AI turbofan engines for speeds over Mach 1 (1,234 kilometers/767 miles per hour), a range of 500 nautical miles (926 kilometers/575 miles), an altitude of 14,000 meters (45,932 feet), and an endurance of more than 3 hours.

Kizilelma can be fitted with guided rockets, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, as well as precision bombs.