{"id":7479,"date":"2026-08-15T07:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T12:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/?p=7479"},"modified":"2026-08-13T11:26:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T16:26:33","slug":"a-turkish-war-drone-hit-a-target-120-kilometers-away-with-a-supersonic-missile-and-it-costs-a-fraction-of-a-jet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/a-turkish-war-drone-hit-a-target-120-kilometers-away-with-a-supersonic-missile-and-it-costs-a-fraction-of-a-jet\/7479\/","title":{"rendered":"A Turkish war drone hit a target 120 kilometers away with a supersonic missile, and it costs a fraction of a jet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft has completed its first live-fire test with the JET-230, striking a naval target in the Black Sea from more than 74 miles away. The demonstration shows how quickly military drones<\/a> are moving beyond surveillance and short-range bombing missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The test also points toward a broader change in air warfare. Uncrewed aircraft are beginning to perform missions traditionally assigned to fighter jets while keeping pilots farther from enemy air defenses, although they still depend on costly missiles, powerful sensors, communications networks, and substantial supporting infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A strike from more than 74 miles away<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Baykar said the KIZILELMA fired its JET-230 missile from a distance exceeding 120 kilometers, or approximately 74.6 miles, and hit the designated target precisely. The company described the event as another important threshold for T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s first unmanned fighter aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

Also Read: Airbus is testing folding wings for the next A320, and the reason is waiting at the airport gate<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The distance matters. A weapon that can be released from dozens of miles away allows its carrier aircraft to remain farther from short-range air defenses and other threats surrounding a target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drone does not have to fly directly over a ship or defended position to attack it. That improves the aircraft\u2019s chances of returning and reduces the need to place a human pilot in the most dangerous part of the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why the JET-230 is different<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Developed by Turkish missile manufacturer Roketsan, the JET-230<\/a> is an air-launched supersonic ballistic missile derived from the company\u2019s UAV-230 weapon family. Roketsan says the missile can be used against fixed land and sea targets, air-defense radar systems, communications facilities, lightly armored vehicles, command centers, and other targets of opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The missile is designed to travel faster than Mach 2.5. At that speed, a target has little time to detect the incoming weapon, determine its path, activate defenses, and attempt an interception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
T\u00fcrkiye’s Bayraktar KIZILELMA drone successfully strikes a naval target with a supersonic missile during live-fire testing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Speed is only part of the equation, though. The weapon\u2019s stand-off range allows the launching aircraft to release it without entering the most heavily defended airspace, at least to a large extent. That combination of speed and distance is what makes the missile particularly significant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KIZILELMA is becoming more like a fighter jet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

KIZILELMA is not a conventional propeller-driven drone. It is a jet-powered unmanned combat aircraft developed for air-to-air and strike missions, with reduced radar detectability and the ability to carry several types of guided weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baykar says the aircraft combines advanced maneuverability with a low radar cross-section, allowing it to support both aerial defense and attack operations. Its planned mission set places it somewhere between today\u2019s large combat drones and traditional crewed fighters<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That distinction is important. Early military drones were largely associated with reconnaissance, remote-controlled strikes, or one-way attacks. KIZILELMA is being developed to detect targets, carry precision bombs and missiles, engage aircraft, and potentially operate alongside crewed jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n