Writer

Charlotte Bailey

Italy's Leonardo and Turkish group Baykar have performed a series of what the former terms “joint autonomous formation flights” as part of the K-Swarm program, aimed at designing and developing interoperability between crewed and uncrewed aircraft. The recent formation trial alongside a crewed aircraft built on a December 2025 milestone that saw two Kizilelma drones perform an autonomous close formation flight. 
As part of the first round of testing, conducted in Turkey in May, Baykar’s Kizilelma unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) flew alongside a Leonardo M-346 advanced jet trainer. After an autonomous taxi and takeoff, the Kizilelma “autonomously rejoined the M-346 using Smart Fleet Autonomy algorithms developed by Baykar’s hardware-in-the-loop laboratory, enabling the M346 to subsequently assume full control of the unmanned aircraft,” explained Leonardo. 
Baykar-developed ‘Smart Fleet Autonomy’ algorithms instructed the drone to autonomously rejoin the main aircraft. A newly-developed fully integrated onboard avionics suite onboard the M346 allowed the pilot to command the drone, executing manoeuvres, formations, position changes and rejoins. An advanced radio frequency data exchange system allowed for the synchronization of data between the systems, protected by Leonardo’s proprietary cyber-defence system GCC Tactical Platform.
The aerial campaign marks the transition from simulation to live operations, said Leonardo, which has been developing the relevant algorithms, tactics and procedures at its base in Turin. This was supplemented by simulator testing. Baykar has also been working on integrating its smart fleet autonomy capabilities into the Crewed UnCrewed Teaming (CUC-T) algorithms.
According to Leonardo&nbsp;“today’s design of CUC-T is one of the fundamental strands for the transformation of military and security tools.” The company said that collaborative combat teaming “has increasingly become a key enabler of future combat air systems.” 
Next, partners plan to move into more complex operations requiring greater situational awareness, with new tests planned in the coming months. Baykar has moved closer to Italy's aerospace sector through its recent acquisition of <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-07-01/baykar-completes-piaggio-aerospace-acquisition">Genoa-based Piaggio Aerospace</a>.&nbsp;

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

M-346 Military Jet Leads Baykar UCAV in Autonomous Formation Flight 

Italian jet and Turkish drone carry out K-Swarm airborne trial 

Leonardo and Baykar have performed a series of joint autonomous formation flights as part of the K-Swarm program, teaming a M-346 with the Kizilelma UCAV. 

M-346 Leads Baykar UCAV in Autonomous Formation Flight 

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

Danish start-up aims to start flight testing before end of 2026

Acodyne Lands Funding for Electric Cargo Drone Family 

Compact, cost-effective system applicable to smaller UAS platforms 

Honeywell Launches Kestrel Drone Navigation Solution

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Uncrewed platform would complement multi-mission D328MR variant 

Deutsche Aircraft Working On Multi-Role Support Drone

Swarm says it is now building production-ready uncrewed air system

TPE331 Engine Will Power Swarm Aero’s Large Military Drone

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

In this article

Leonardo

More In Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Acodyne Lands Funding for Electric Cargo Drone Family

Danish start-up aims to start flight testing before end of 2026

Honeywell Launches Kestrel Drone Navigation Solution

Compact, cost-effective system applicable to smaller UAS platforms

Deutsche Aircraft Working On Multi-Role Support Drone

Uncrewed platform would complement multi-mission D328MR variant

TPE331 Engine Will Power Swarm Aero’s Large Military Drone

Swarm says it is now building production-ready uncrewed air system

ERC Unveils Victor Hybrid-electric VTOL Cargo Drone

First prototype was unveiled at the ILA 2026 air show this week in Berlin

Schiebel Camcopter S-300 Selected for Anti-Sub Evaluation

European SWORD project to evaluate uncrewed platform in naval role

Updated DARPA Hybrid-Electric XRQ-73 Makes First Flight

Experimental aircraft to validate hybrid-electric propulsion technology

Savback Helicopters, Dufour Partner on Drone Delivery

Service will use Dufour’s Aero-200 tiltwing aircraft

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN