Chief technology officer of the Turkish defense company Baykar Makina Selçuk Bayraktar, introduced Bayraktar Kizilelma supersonic stealth carrier-based drone project, developed as part of the MIUS project.
It is reported that the new UAV will be part of the ship air group leading by Turkish Navy’s Anadolu multipurpose landing ship (UDC).
According wikipedia The Kızılelma is an unmanned aircraft, featuring a low-RCS supersonic airframe and equipped with an AESA radar. The aircraft is powered by a turbofan engine, fed by two air inlets; yaw control is achieved with two vertical stabilizers. The aircraft has coupled-canard controls for increased maneuverability, or for better controlling the main wing airflow. Internal compartments will allow the aircraft to operate in contested environments while sustaining low observability.
The Kızılelma has a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 6,000 kg, with 1,500 kg of said weight available for the payload; the aircraft will be capable of takeoff and landing on a landing dock. According to data shared by the company, the Kızılelma will have an operational altitu onde of 35,000 ft (10,000 m). The Kızılelma-A will be capable of near-supersonic speeds, being powered by the AI-25TLT engine, a design produced by the Turkish-Ukrainian joint venture Black Sea Shield.The Kızılelma-B will fly at supersonic speeds, being powered by the Ukrainian AI-322F engine and the Turkish TEI TF-6000 engine. The MIUS-B will have a 2.5x more powerful engine, making it significantly different specification-wise than the MIUS-A. MIUS is expected to launch from the TCG Anadolu LHD without any need for a catapult system. Baykar CTO Selçuk Bayraktar, said that the MIUS is expected to fly in 2023, adding that a jet-powered UAV was a ”12-year-long dream.” On 12 March 2022, Selçuk Bayraktar announced the aircraft’s name, Kızılelma (Red Apple); he also revealed that the first Kızılelma prototype has entered the assembly line.
