In the latest test, it was publicly announced that KIZILELMA flew alongside F‑16s and was able to lock onto them—and even score simulated hits. Naturally, this brings to mind Türkiye's air patrol missions, particularly over the Aegean Sea and other regions. Yusuf Akbaba offers the following assessment of KIZILELMA taking off with the F‑16s and joining the test:
''The key point here is that an unmanned fighter aircraft is able to engage an advanced manned fighter jet. This is extremely critical. As I mentioned earlier, once KIZILELMA carries its missiles in the internal weapon bay, its visibility will be reduced even further—making it a much tougher opponent for any adversary.''
''In the Aegean or any other region, the cost difference between flying an F‑16 and deploying a highly capable platform like KIZILELMA amounts to millions of dollars. Unmanned systems are far more economical. In addition, foreign F‑16s operating in the area may only be able to remain on station for an hour or an hour and a half, while you can stay in the air uninterrupted for four to five hours. And if necessary, with your domestically developed radar and indigenous missiles, you also have the capability to strike the manned platform across from you.
At the end of the day, you gain a system that widens the gap both in capability and cost-efficiency. KIZILELMA will truly make a significant contribution to the history of Turkish aviation.''
