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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [TECHNOLOGY]

5 clusters · 24 sources · 40 days · First seen about 2 months ago · Last updated 10 days ago

Leonardo‑Baykar K‑SWARM trials and MUM‑T showcase

Overview

Leonardo and Turkish aerospace firm Baykar completed the first live‑flight trials of the K‑SWARM programme on 22 June 2026 at Baykar’s Çorlu test centre. Using a Leonardo M‑346 trainer and the Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned fighter, the aircraft autonomously performed taxi, take‑off, formation joining, manoeuvring and coordinated flight while pilots issued high‑level commands. Leonardo’s command‑and‑control architecture and Global Cybersecurity Center encrypted data links were validated, confirming the AI‑driven swarm algorithms and secure communications required for crewed‑uncrewed teaming.

On 2 July 2026 Baykar Chairman Selçuk Bayraktar briefed a NATO parliamentary delegation, presenting KIZILELMA and asserting that unmanned combat aircraft could replace the world’s roughly 15,000 manned fighters within three decades, highlighting lower cost, rapid software upgrades and the strategic relevance of autonomous capabilities.

At the Farnborough Airshow on 19 July 2026 the partners showcased the next stage of their human‑unmanned teaming (MUM‑T) programme, reiterating live‑flight tests with the M‑346 and KIZILELMA under K‑SWARM and displaying the short‑runway Bayraktar TB3 UAV for the European market through LBA Systems.

On 30 July 2026 Baykar demonstrated that KIZILELMA can release precision weapons (TEBER‑82 and TOLUN‑P) from its internal weapons bay, achieving direct hits on both mobile and hardened targets, a step toward a low‑observable deep‑strike capability. In parallel, its K2 Kamikaze UAVs completed autonomous formation‑flight trials with ten drones, showing GNSS‑denied navigation, EO/IR targeting and safe return after weapon release, underscoring Turkey’s rapid progress in swarm‑drone technology.

Entities

Selçuk Bayraktar · K2 Kamikaze · Baykar · KIZILELMA

Timeline

10 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 8 sources
Baykar demonstrates internal‑bay strike capability and kamikaze drone formation tests
Baykar's KIZILELMA unmanned fighter hit targets using internal‑bay precision munitions, while its K2 Kamikaze drones completed autonomous formation flights, highlighting Turkey's advancing UAV strike and swarm‑
23 days ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 12 sources
Baykar and Leonardo Showcase MUM‑T Advances at Farnborough Airshow
Baykar and Leonardo unveiled MUM‑T test results and displayed the Bayraktar TB3 UAV at Farnborough, highlighting a Turkey‑Italy partnership that integrates manned M‑346 jets with unmanned KIZILELMA drones.
about 1 month ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
Turkey's Baykar CEO Selçuk Bayraktar showcases KIZILELMA UAV to NATO delegation
Baykar CEO Selçuk Bayraktar told a NATO delegation that its KIZILELMA UAV could replace most manned fighters in 30 years, citing lower costs, no pilot training and rapid software updates.
about 2 months ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
Turkey and Italy conduct first autonomous joint flight of manned M‑346 and Bayraktar KIZILELMA
Turkey’s Baykar and Italy’s Leonardo successfully flew a manned M‑346 and unmanned KIZILELMA together in an autonomous formation test, demonstrating human‑unmanned teaming.
about 2 months ago

[TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
Leonardo and Baykar complete first K‑SWARM live flight trials
Leonardo and Baykar completed the first K‑SWARM live trials, linking a M‑346 fighter with a KIZILELMA unmanned fighter in autonomous formation flights, showcasing AI‑driven crewed‑uncrewed teaming and secure C2

Sources

aksam.com.tr · avioblog.it · avrupagazete.co.uk · baskentgazete.com.tr · defensetalks.com · ekonomist.com.tr · euro-sd.com · finance.technews.tw · gazetedamga.com.tr · haber.aero · haber1.com · haber16.com · haber7.com · haberankara.com · international.sindonews.com · isca.org.sg · istanbulgazetesi.com.tr · kks.ch · olympia.gr · sondakika.com · sportstory.com.au · turkgun.com · yenicaggazetesi.com.tr · yuzde100yerli.com