Turkish combat drone KIZILELMA scores virtual hit on F-16 fighter jet PHOTO / VIDEO

The Turkish company Baykar has conducted tests of the fifth prototype of its Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned combat aircraft, successfully completing another important stage and proving its effectiveness on the battlefield.

According to Caliber.Az, SavunmaSanayiST.com reported the development on its X social media page.

BAYRAKTAR KIZILELMA’DAN TARİHİ SINAV:
F-16’YA KİLİTLENDİ, SİMÜLE ATIŞTA TAM İSABET!

Türkiye’nin ilk insansız savaş uçağı Bayraktar KIZILELMA, gökyüzünde tarihi bir teste daha imza attı.

Türk Hava Kuvvetleri’ne ait iki F-16 savaş uçağının katıldığı testte, milli AESA Radar… pic.twitter.com/HRpxeD7uN5

— SavunmaSanayiST.com (@SavunmaSanayiST) November 20, 2025

Taking off from the AKINCI Training and Test Centre in Çorlu, Tekirdağ, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned fighter carried out a 1-hour 45-minute flight at an average altitude of 15,000 feet (4,500 meters). During the mission, it flew together with two F-16 fighter jets to test the integration of the national radar and munitions. As a result of this flight, the UAV’s total flight time during trials surpassed 55 hours.

One of the F-16s conducted a close flight with the Bayraktar KIZILELMA, demonstrating the platform’s compatibility with manned combat aircraft, while the other F-16 served as a target for testing.

During the trials, the Bayraktar KIZILELMA detected the F-16 target at a distance of 30 miles (48 km) using the MURAD AESA radar developed by ASELSAN and locked onto it.

 It then executed a simulated electronic launch of the GÖKDOĞAN missile—developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE and mounted under the wing—beyond visual range.

In the simulation, Bayraktar KIZILELMA neutralised the highly manoeuvrable F-16 target with remarkable precision in a virtual environment, marking a significant step forward in air combat development.

By Tamilla Hasanova