Leonardo and Baykar reveal details of historic KIZILELMA-M-346 flight trials

Leonardo and Baykar have presented the results of their historic K-SWARM flight trials at the Farnborough International Airshow, revealing how a crewed fighter jet and an uncrewed combat aircraft successfully operated together in autonomous formation. The tests, conducted in May at Baykar's Çorlu flight and test center in Türkiye, validated Crewed/UnCrewed Teaming (CUC-T) capabilities for future air combat.

Autonomous Formation and Shared Control

During the trials, Baykar's KIZILELMA uncrewed fighter performed an autonomous taxi and take-off before rejoining a Leonardo M-346 fighter jet. A second aircraft, an Italian Air Force T-346A, served as a chase plane. Once airborne, the M-346 assumed control of the KIZILELMA using a newly developed avionic suite, with pilots issuing commands autonomously executed by the unmanned aircraft.

Technology and Collaboration

Data sharing between the aircraft was supported by a dedicated radio frequency system and protected by Leonardo's cyber defense system. The operation marked the transition from laboratory simulation to real-world flight, with algorithms developed at Leonardo's facilities in Italy integrated with software from Baykar's Hardware-in-the-Loop Laboratory. The companies said the built-in autonomy of KIZILELMA simplified the integration process.

Future Plans and Partnership

Further flight tests with expanded capabilities are scheduled for the coming months. The partnership, formalized with the establishment of the LBA Systems joint venture in June 2025, combines Baykar's unmanned platform expertise with Leonardo's electronic systems and mission payloads. The alliance aims to play a leading role in shaping the future of unmanned aviation.