Türkiye redefines airpower with manned-unmanned combat integration Linking KAAN fighter with ANKA-3, KIZILELMA drones / PHOTO

Türkiye is redefining airpower by integrating its fifth-generation fighter jet KAAN with advanced unmanned systems—the stealth ANKA-3 drone and the KIZILELMA unmanned fighter.

Backed by Aselsan’s cutting-edge Indigenous Flight Data Link (IVDL), this new combat ecosystem marks a strategic shift in how Türkiye envisions achieving air superiority: not through isolated platforms, but through seamless manned-unmanned coordination on a digital battlefield, according to international media reports cited by Star.

It is emphasised that the essence of this technological breakthrough lies in the development of the Indigenous Flight Data Link (IVDL) by Aselsan, which enables the KAAN to interact with the stealth drone ANKA-3 Flying Wing and the unmanned fighter jet KIZILELMA.

Providing high data throughput and strong resistance to detection by electronic warfare systems, this data link will enable the KAAN to function not only as an advanced fighter jet but also as a command and control hub managing unmanned platforms.

The system will introduce new stealth capabilities in addition to the TOYGUN electro-optical suite and the passive IRST sensor KARAT, further enhancing the KAAN’s survivability and effectiveness in a competitive environment.

The development of the KAAN fighter jet by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) began in the mid-2010s as part of Türkiye’s push toward defence autonomy, the report states.

The KAAN project follows the Western fifth-generation fighter model while also drawing lessons from drone warfare in conflicts in Libya, Syria, and Ukraine.

Unlike earlier fifth-generation fighters such as the F-22 or Su-57, the KAAN is being designed from the outset to operate alongside unmanned systems.

The ANKA-3, with its stealthy design and potential hybrid role in both attack and reconnaissance, and the KIZILELMA—classified as a loyal wingman with its higher speed and aggressiveness—bring additional capabilities to the KAAN’s air wing.

This manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) architecture provides Türkiye with a tactical advantage in future conflict scenarios, where saturation attacks, electronic warfare, and long-range strike coordination are expected to dominate.

The IVDL ensures that the KAAN can direct drones to carry out missions such as Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), electronic jamming, or deep strikes—without putting the pilot at excessive risk.

Compared to the still-experimental U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) concept or Russia’s “Okhotnik” (Hunter) drone linked to the Su-57, Türkiye’s integration of combat drones into an operational fighter squadron is advancing toward real-time battlefield deployment capability.

The strategic implications are significant. This digital mesh network model enhances Türkiye’s ability to conduct operations independently of NATO’s C4ISR infrastructure, providing sovereign response capabilities in crisis situations across the Eastern Mediterranean, the Caucasus, or Northern Syria.

Moreover, it strengthens Türkiye’s ambitions to become a full-spectrum drone superpower—not only in equipment manufacturing but also in operational doctrine and battlefield connectivity.

By enabling the KAAN to function as an airborne command center for the ANKA-3 and KIZILELMA, Aselsan’s IVDL system is pushing Türkiye into the era of manned-unmanned collaborative warfare.

This shift is not merely a technological upgrade—it is a conceptual transformation that leverages Türkiye’s drone experience to rethink how air superiority is achieved and maintained.

With systems like KAAN, ANKA-3, and KIZILELMA becoming increasingly interoperable, Türkiye is creating a combat ecosystem that goes beyond traditional air force hierarchies, combining stealth, autonomy, and real-time command in ways few have applied operationally.

By Khagan Isayev