ISLAMABAD: Turkey’s Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned combat air vehicle hassuccessfully locked onto and scored a simulated direct hit against an F-16fighter jet during live testing, marking a major leap in the country’sautonomous aerial warfare programme.
The test saw Kizilelma employ the domestically developed MURAD AESA radar,manufactured by Aselsan, to detect, track and engage the target atbeyond-visual-range distances while operating fully unmanned.
In a separate phase, the platform launched a Turkish-made Gökdoğanair-to-air missile, achieving a virtual kill confirmed by onboard telemetryand ground observation systems.
The jet also demonstrated seamless formation flight alongside manned F-16s,maintaining precise positioning through advanced data-link integrationdeveloped by Turkish Aerospace Industries.
Defence analysts describe the achievement as evidence of Turkey’s rapidlymaturing unmanned combat ecosystem, reducing reliance on foreign suppliersfor critical fifth-generation capabilities.
Industry sources confirmed that Kizilelma, powered by theUkrainian-designed AI-322 turbofan in its current prototype, willtransition to the indigenous TEI TF6000 engine in production variants.
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The successful trial strengthens Turkey’s position among a select group ofnations capable of fielding supersonic unmanned combat aircraft withintegrated sensor-to-shooter networks.
Military observers note that the platform’s low radar cross-section andinternal weapons bays position it as a potential force multiplier for theTurkish Air Force in contested environments.
Source: www.defenceturk.net,”>https://www.defenceturk.net, www.janes.com”>https://www.janes.com