newakit.com.tr
The Combat Unmanned Aircraft System KIZILELMA, which was developed by the Baykar company under the leadership of Selçuk Bayraktar and planned to make its first flight in 2023, became the agenda of the Greek media.
Greek Military Analyst Paliouras, who argued that KIZILELMA is not as superior a system as the Turks claim, said:
“But it has potential. It is a drone that will become supersonic (supersonic speed) in the future. The Turks even claim that it can replace existing warplanes. Of course, this is not something that will happen immediately. If we look at its features, it weighs 6 tons and is quite heavy for a drone. The weapon “Kizil Apple will have a maximum speed of 900 km in the A version, but the Turks are also preparing the B version, which will be supersonic. It will have a 1000 km mission range and also a radar like in warplanes.”
Reminding that KIZILELMA was exhibited at TEKNOFEST Fair, Paliouras continued as follows:
“The first flight of the prototype will be in 2023. After that, we expect a development and testing period that may take 2-3 years. This is a very short time. Normally, about 10 years are needed to develop a fighter jet. The Turks essentially want to use this to change their air force.”
Claiming that the warplanes in the inventory of the Turkish Air Force are getting older and coming to an end, Paliouras, “Slowly but steadily, the Turkish Air Force is aging. Aircraft that are close to the end of their life cannot be replaced. They cannot buy spare parts, they cannot modernize. As a result, Turkey has a great air force only on paper.” He used delirious expressions.
Saying that the Turks are an extremely ambitious nation, Paliouras, “For now, drones are an integral part of the air force” said.
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