Baykar’s Kizilelma unmanned air combat vehicle (UCAV) has conducted a simulated shoot-down of a Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter.

The work took place on 19 November and involved the Kizilelma operating with a pair of Turkish air force F-16s.

During the 1h 45min sortie east of Istanbul the Kizilelma flew in formation with one of the F-16s.

The sortie, operated at an average altitude of 15,000ft, also saw the UCAV detect the other F-16 at a range of 25nm (48km) using its Aselsan Murad 100-A active electronically scanned array radar.

The Kizilelma then conducted a simulated attack against the F-16 with a Gokdogan beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, which is produced by Turkish firm Tubitak Sage.

Baykar claims that the simulated missile scored a “direct hit” against the F-16. Pictures posted by Baykar show two dummy missiles carried on the Kizilelma’s wing pylons.

Baykar says that the work validates communications between the Kizilelma, the radar, and the weapon.

“The successful validation of this data link between Kizilelma and the munition represents a significant milestone in the unmanned fighter aircraft’s capability to neutralise beyond-visual-range targets,” says Baykar.

Baykar did not disclose the role of human operators during the flight, either during the formation flight with the F-16 or during the simulated missile engagement.

The activity came one month after Kizilelma first flew with the Murad radar installed.