Bayraktar KIZILELMA Makes History: Simulated F-16 Kill Marks Turkey’s Entry Into Next-Generation Unmanned Air Superiority

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Turkey’s Bayraktar KIZILELMA has entered a defining chapter in global aviation history after executing a flawless simulated air-to-air strike against a Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet, marking a breakthrough moment that elevates Turkey’s unmanned combat capabilities into a new strategic dimension.

In a crisp November 2025 test that has been widely hailed by defence observers and military planners, the stealth-configured KIZILELMA UCAV flew in formation with two F-16s and executed a fully simulated beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagement using its indigenous MURAD Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and the advanced GÖKDOĞAN air-to-air missile interface.

The unmanned fighter locked onto the F-16 with absolute precision, executing what Baykar described as a simulated direct strike using the GÖKDOĞAN missile, a move that underscores Turkey’s rapid ascent as one of the world’s most innovative and disruptive drone powers.

The dramatic footage released by Baykar showcases the KIZILELMA taxiing, taking off, joining formation with manned fighters, activating its radar suite, and demonstrating the kind of real-time airborne target tracking traditionally associated only with modern 4.5-generation fighters.

The event forms a critical pillar within Turkey’s National Technology Initiative (Milli Teknoloji Hamlesi), a multi-layered industrial and technological transformation push that has accelerated Ankara’s shift from defence importer to influential defence exporter.

Screens inside Baykar’s advanced command center displayed crystal-clear radar locks from the MURAD AESA, highlighting the F-16 as a target against a cloudy background, underscoring the radar’s maturity and operational readiness.

The test is more than technological validation; it is a strategic message to regional competitors and global defence markets that Turkey is no longer experimenting with unmanned air combat — it is operationalizing it.

A Historic Test Flight Powered by MURAD AESA and GÖKDOĞAN BVRAAM Integration

The milestone test was conducted using the KIZILELMA PT-5 prototype, the latest development aircraft that has been undergoing rigorous evaluations since the UCAV’s maiden flight in December 2022.

Baykar confirmed that the UCAV executed a “GÖKDOĞAN Munition Linked Flight Test” in tandem with the “Murad AESA Radar Performance Test,” integrating seamlessly with F-16 formation flying to simulate a fully realistic BVR combat engagement.

The scenario mirrored real-world operational conditions in which the unmanned aircraft would detect, track, and engage an enemy aircraft from beyond visual range while leveraging its low-observability to evade counter-detection.

During the exercise, one F-16 acted as a wingman while the other played the role of an adversary aircraft, placing the UCAV at the center of a dynamic, multi-platform air combat environment.

The KIZILELMA used the MURAD-100A — ASELSAN’s cutting-edge AESA radar — to acquire the target F-16, transfer data to the onboard GÖKDOĞAN missile interface, and simulate a confirmed strike, with Baykar noting the simulation achieved a “perfect hit.”

This test establishes the fire-control logic needed for real missile engagements and places the program one step away from live-fire testing against high-speed drones such as the ŞİMŞEK.

This also comes only weeks after the UCAV’s first flight with the MURAD radar in October 2025 — an event defence analysts described as elevating KIZILELMA to “near-4.5-generation unmanned fighter capability.”

These developments culminate in a fully indigenous kill chain composed of Baykar engineering, ASELSAN sensor technology, and TÜBİTAK SAGE missile design — an unprecedented integration milestone for a non-Western defence ecosystem.

As one analyst stated, “KIZILELMA continues to move exactly in the direction critics once said it couldn’t,” capturing the narrative of how Turkey transformed skepticism into strategic capability.

Baykar highlighted the partnership with ASELSAN and TÜBİTAK SAGE through the statement: “#Baykar 🤝 @Aselsan 🤝 @SageTubitak #NationalTechnologyInitiative 🌍🇹🇷,” signalling an ecosystem-wide strengthening of Turkey’s defence industrial base.

KIZILELMA — The ‘Red Apple’ Redefining Unmanned Air Dominance and Global Defence Markets

The Bayraktar KIZILELMA — meaning “Red Apple,” a storied symbol in Turkish mythology representing distant but inevitable victory — sits at the apex of Turkey’s unmanned aviation revolution.

Rising from the legacy of the combat-proven TB2 and the high-endurance AKINCI UCAV, the KIZILELMA is designed as a low-observable, supersonic-capable unmanned fighter jet that bridges the gap between drones and manned combat aircraft.

Its specifications position it competitively against Western and Eastern unmanned combat platforms:

Maximum Take-Off Weight: 8.5 tons
• Payload Capacity: 1.5 tons (missiles, bombs, sensors)
• Cruise Speed: Mach 0.6
• Maximum Speed: Mach 0.9, with potential upgrades to Mach 1.2
• Combat Radius: 500 nautical miles
• Operational Altitude: 25,000–30,000 feet
• Endurance: 5 hours
• Dimensions: 14.7 m length / 10 m wingspan / 3.3 m height

The UCAV is powered initially by the Ukrainian AI-322F afterburning turbofan engine — generating 4,200 kgf of thrust — although the strategic roadmap includes transition to Turkish-made powerplants such as the TEI TF-6000 and later the TF-10000 for full sovereignty.

Its low radar cross-section (RCS), blended fuselage, stealth airframe geometry, serrated edges, and potentially internal weapons bays elevate Turkey into the exclusive group of nations fielding low-observable unmanned combat aircraft.

Development milestones — including its first engine run in September 2022, first flight in December 2022, supersonic tests in 2024, and multi-sensor flights in 2025 — place KIZILELMA among the most rapidly advancing UCAV programs globally.

The UCAV’s tactical purpose is transformative: it will function as a loyal wingman for Turkish F-16s, AKINCI UCAVs, and future TF-X/KAAN fighters by extending sensor reach, providing air-to-air and air-to-ground strike capability, and operating in high-threat zones where the loss of a manned aircraft would carry significant political cost.

International interest is growing rapidly, with prospective buyers including Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Malaysia, positioning KIZILELMA as a future staple of global air forces seeking affordable next-generation combat performance.

Given that the estimated unit cost of KIZILELMA is projected around USD 30–40 million (RM 142–190 million) depending on specifications, the aircraft sits at a highly competitive price point compared to the USD 120 million (RM 570 million) F-35A or the USD 80 million (RM 380 million) Rafale.

MURAD AESA Radar and GÖKDOĞAN Missile — The Twin Pillars of Turkey’s Indigenous Kill Web

At the core of KIZILELMA’s historic simulated kill lies the MURAD-100A AESA radar, one of Turkey’s most advanced electronics achievements.

This AESA suite gives KIZILELMA fighter-level situational awareness with features such as:

• Full solid-state GaN (Gallium Nitride) amplification
  • 360° azimuth coverage with 140° practical scan angle
  • Detection range of up to 160 nautical miles (≈300 km)
  • Tracking beyond 120 nautical miles
  • High-resolution SAR imaging
  • GMTI (Ground Moving Target Indication)
  • Multi-target tracking and simultaneous A2A / A2G modes
  • Digital beam forming
  • ECCM resistance

Developed since the early 2020s and first revealed at the 2022 Istanbul Airshow, MURAD underwent extensive ground and AKINCI flight testing throughout 2025 before integration into KIZILELMA in October.

The radar’s performance during the November engagement — especially its ability to lock onto a maneuvering F-16 — demonstrates Turkey’s capability to equip unmanned assets with high-agility fire-control radars traditionally associated with advanced fighters like the F-16V, Rafale F3R, and Gripen-E.

Complementing the radar is Turkey’s GÖKDOĞAN BVR missile, the indigenous replacement for imported AIM-120 AMRAAMs.

GÖKDOĞAN’s attributes include:

• 65+ km baseline range
  • 100–180 km extended-range variants
  • Active radar seeker
  • Mid-course data-link guidance
  • Solid-fuel propulsion
  • Pressure/fragmentation warhead
  • High ECCM resistance

GÖKDOĞAN entered Turkish Air Force service in 2024 following successful F-16 live-fire tests, and its integration with KIZILELMA confirms a fully Turkish kill chain from detection to simulated target destruction.

This synergy transforms Turkish unmanned platforms from reconnaissance assets into lethal air-combat units capable of shaping battlespace dominance through swarm operations, stealth penetration missions, and high-speed interception.

Strategic Impact, Future Prospects, and Turkey’s Expanding Unmanned Air Dominance

Turkey’s integrated approach through Baykar, ASELSAN, and TÜBİTAK SAGE exemplifies the potential of coordinated national defence ecosystems, enabling the country to bypass sanctions and secure technological autonomy.

This model has drawn admiration globally, with one U.S. analyst describing Turkey’s system as a “flawless kill chain,” comparing it to integrated frameworks seen in advanced air forces.

The impacts are profound for modern air warfare.

KIZILELMA’s simulation of a successful BVR kill against an F-16 — one of the world’s most battle-proven fighters — is a disruptive demonstration that unmanned aircraft are no longer relegated to surveillance or ground-attack roles.

They are now entering the air-to-air domain, traditionally dominated by expensive manned fighters, and redefining the cost-exchange ratio in contested airspace.

In theatres such as the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean Sea, Black Sea, and Middle East, the ability to deploy unmanned fighters at scale with low costs and high persistence provides Turkey asymmetric advantages.

For example:

An F-16 sortie costs approximately USD 25,000–30,000 (RM 118,000–142,000) per flight hour.
• A KIZILELMA sortie may cost USD 3,000–4,000 (RM 14,000–19,000) per hour.

This creates an unsustainable cost imbalance for any adversary relying solely on manned assets.

Going forward, Turkey is preparing for:

Live-fire missile tests in 2026
• Integration of Turkish engines by 2027
• Enhanced stealth versions with internal bays
• Carrier-capable variants for TCG Anadolu and future LHDs
• Network-centric swarm roles with AKINCI and TB3
• Loyal wingman missions with KAAN (TF-X)

These developments align with Ankara’s long-term ambition to field a fully indigenous next-generation unmanned air combat fleet capable of projecting power domestically and internationally.

Conclusion

Turkey’s Bayraktar KIZILELMA has crossed a decisive threshold in global military aviation by executing a historic simulated air-to-air strike against one of the world’s most iconic fighter jets, the F-16.

This achievement represents far more than a technical demonstration.

It signals a strategic transformation in which unmanned systems are evolving into primary air-combat platforms, altering the balance of air power, reshaping defence economics, and challenging the traditional dominance of manned fighters.

As the skies evolve, KIZILELMA stands as a symbol of Turkey’s determination, innovation, and ascent into the elite circle of nations redefining the future of aerial warfare.

The “Red Apple” has indeed ripened — and its impact will be felt across global defence landscapes for decades to come.

KIZILELMA’s breakthrough also represents the first tangible shift toward an operational environment where autonomous and semi-autonomous combat aircraft can execute high-risk missions traditionally reserved for front-line pilots without exposing human lives to danger.

This new paradigm forces air forces worldwide to reconsider their acquisition strategies, focusing less on expensive manned fighters and more on scalable, network-enabled unmanned systems capable of saturating contested airspace.

The successful BVR engagement simulation underscores that air superiority in the 2030s and beyond will depend not merely on raw platform performance but on the resilience, integration, and survivability of distributed kill webs enabled by AI-powered unmanned assets.

The test also signals the emergence of a new competitive axis in which nations that master indigenous unmanned-air superiority capabilities will possess disproportionate leverage in regional deterrence equations and crisis scenarios.

Above all, KIZILELMA’s achievement demonstrates that the future battlespace will belong to air forces that can blend manned fighters, stealthy UCAVs, electronic-warfare drones, and long-range precision weapons into a seamless, data-driven ecosystem — a direction Turkey has now unmistakably embraced.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA