Leonardo and Baykar have completed the first live flight tests of the K-SWARM program, a joint effort to develop technologies that allow crewed and uncrewed combat aircraft to operate together.
The flight campaign took place in May at Baykar's test center in Çorlu, Turkey, but Leonardo only disclosed the results this week. The tests involved a Leonardo-owned M-346 Fighter Attack aircraft, an Italian Air Force T-346A used as a chase plane, and a Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned combat aircraft.
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The tests moved concepts previously validated in simulators into real-world operations. Engineers evaluated software designed to coordinate aircraft formations and allow a crewed aircraft to direct the actions of an unmanned wingman.
During the flights, the Kizilelma performed autonomous taxiing and takeoff before joining the M-346 in formation. Once airborne, pilots aboard the M-346 commanded a series of maneuvers, including position changes, separations and rejoins, which were executed automatically by the unmanned aircraft.
The companies said the aircraft exchanged data through a dedicated communications architecture protected by Leonardo's cybersecurity systems. The setup allowed flight information and commands to be shared between the two platforms during the missions.
The algorithms used during the campaign were developed by Leonardo's research teams in Turin and integrated with Baykar's autonomy systems. According to the companies, the objective is to reduce pilot workload while allowing multiple aircraft to cooperate during complex missions.
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The K-SWARM program is focused on crewed-uncrewed teaming, a concept increasingly being adopted by air forces as they prepare future combat fleets. The approach allows fighter aircraft to operate alongside autonomous or semi-autonomous drones that can perform reconnaissance, electronic warfare, strike and other missions.
The project is one of the first public results of the partnership announced earlier this year between Leonardo and Baykar. The two companies agreed to combine Leonardo's expertise in aircraft systems, mission electronics and defense integration with Baykar's experience in unmanned aircraft development.
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Baykar became one of the world's largest drone manufacturers through the success of aircraft such as the TB2 and Akinci, while the jet-powered Kizilelma is being developed as a higher-performance combat platform capable of operating alongside fighter aircraft.
Leonardo and Baykar said additional flight tests are planned in the coming months, with increasingly complex scenarios and a greater degree of autonomy for the unmanned aircraft.
