ASELSAN Validates F-16 ÖZGÜR’s FEWS RWR and Jammer
ASELSAN has completed the qualification work on the RF jammer and RWR as the critical parts of the FEWS self-protection suite for localised F-16 ÖZGÜR fighters.
f-16 News
Air
E/W
Air
Modernisation
F-16 ÖZGÜR Modernisation to be Completed by 2026’s End
The Turkish MoD activity report included that the serial modernisation of F-16 fighters in the Turkish Air Force inventory will be done by the end of 2026.
Air
Weapon / Missile
GÖKBORA BVRAAM Set to be Qualified for F-16s in 2031
Turkish MoD has provided additional information regarding ROKETSAN’s GÖKBORA ramjet-powered BVRAAM, giving March 2031 as the qualification date for F-16s.
Air
Weapon / Missile
Sensors
F-16 ÖZGÜR with MURAD Radar Completes GÖKDOĞAN Firing Test
TÜBİTAK’s 2025 activity report included that F-16 with ÖZGÜR modernisation package and MURAD 100-A AESA radar fired GÖKDOĞAN BVRAAM with radar feed.
Air
Weapon / Missile
TOLUN SDB Hits 100+ km Range at Long-Range Test from F-16
ASELSAN’s TOLUN GNSS/INS guided small-diameter bomb launched from an F-16 fighter equipped with SADAK-4T smart rack (SDB) hit a target at sea 100+ km away.
Air
Weapon / Missile
Unmanned Systems
KIZILELMA Scores Simulated Hit on F-16 with GÖKDOĞAN
After the linked flight test with GÖKDOĞAN, KIZILELMA unmanned fighter locked on an F-16 with MURAD 100-A radar and achieved a simulated hit using GÖKDOĞAN.
Air
Modernisation
Poland to Modernise 48 F-16s under $3.8bn upgrade deal
Poland and the United States have struck a $3.8 billion deal to upgrade Poland's 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ fighter planes to the more modern Viper configuration.
Air
Ukraine Loses Third F-16 in Massive Russian Air Assault
Russia’s largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the war began has claimed another American-made fighter. Ukrainian Air Force lost its third F-16 fighter.
Bilateral Relations
Defence Politics
Erdoğan and Trump Meet on the sidelines of the NATO
Leaders stress cooperation on defence, trade, and regional stability at NATO summit in The Hague. Turkiye has F-35, F-16 Block 70 and CAATSA on defence agenda.
Air
E/W
EDPOD ESM Pod Enters the Turkish Air Force’s Inventory
Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır announced that TÜBİTAK BİLGEM’s EDPOD has entered the inventory of the Turkish Air Force.
Air
Weapon / Missile
Unmanned Systems
U.S. Air Force Declares Its First CCA Squadron Operational
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin announced that an Experimental Operations Unit for CCA testing was given an operational squadron status.
Air
Investment
Russia Offers Su‑57 Source Codes to India in Strategic Bid
Russia proposes full source code access to Su‑57E for India’s MRFA tender, surpassing Western rivals with unprecedented transparency and technology transfer.
Air
Logistics
Turkiye Weighs MRTT and KC-46A to Replace KC-135 Fleet
Turkiye is looking at Airbus MRTT and Boeing KC-46A tankers to replace its refuelling fleet. The decision will be based on operational and political concerns.
Country
Turkish MoD Holds Press Meeting at the 401st Squadron’s Home
The Turkish MoD held a press meeting in front of the test aircraft of the 401st Test Squadron and the indigenously developed munitions alongside them.
Air
Ukraine’s Second F-16 Downed by Dense Russian Air Defence
Ukraine has confirmed the loss of its second US-made F-16 fighter jet on 12 April 2025. Capt. Ivanov was killed as Kyiv struggles to keep fighters airborne.
Air
Simulator / AI / Drill/ Software
Turkish Tanker Fuels F-35A, Hinting at US Ties Thaw
Turkish KC-135 tanker aircraft’s refuelling of a Danish F-35A during the Ramstein Flag 2025 exercise might be another improvement in Turkish- US relations.
Global Defence Trend Brief
- 15:00 US Army accelerates fielding of next-generation air defence systems - The US Army is prioritising rapid deployment of integrated air and missile defence systems to counte...
- 15:00 European defence strategies shift toward long-term industrial mobilisation - European governments are aligning defence planning with sustained industrial mobilisation, focusing...
- 15:00 China expands unmanned combat aerial vehicle capabilities - China is advancing development and deployment of unmanned combat aerial vehicles to enhance strike,...
- 15:00 Japan strengthens integrated missile defence command systems - Japan is improving coordination between sensors, interceptors and command networks to enhance respon...
- 15:00 Autonomous underwater vehicles gain prominence in naval deterrence - Navies are expanding use of autonomous underwater vehicles for surveillance, mine countermeasures an...
- 15:00 Counter-drone systems evolve toward multi-layered engagement models - Military organisations are deploying layered counter-UAS systems combining electronic warfare, inter...
- 15:00 Hypersonic weapons drive development of global tracking networks - Defence agencies are investing in integrated global sensor networks to detect, track and respond to...
- 15:00 Military space operations shift toward resilient constellation models - Armed forces are adopting distributed satellite constellations to improve survivability and maintain...
- 15:00 Collaborative combat aircraft redefine future air combat concepts - Air forces are integrating autonomous collaborative aircraft into operational planning to extend rea...
- 15:00 Industrial scalability becomes decisive factor in defence acquisitions - Governments are increasingly prioritising suppliers with the ability to scale production rapidly and...
- 09:00 US Air Force advances next-generation ISR integration - The US Air Force is enhancing integration between airborne, space-based and ground ISR systems to en...
- 09:00 European militaries expand focus on civil-military infrastructure resilience - European governments are increasingly integrating civilian infrastructure such as energy grids and t...
- 09:00 China strengthens joint firepower coordination across services - China is improving coordination between missile forces, airpower and naval assets to enable rapid an...
- 09:00 Japan enhances distributed basing for air operations - Japan is investing in dispersed airfields and rapid deployment capabilities to maintain air operatio...
- 09:00 Autonomous systems expand role in maritime domain awareness - Navies are deploying networks of autonomous surface and underwater vehicles to improve maritime doma...
- 09:00 Counter-drone systems move toward fully integrated defence networks - Military organisations are integrating detection, electronic warfare and interception systems into u...
- 09:00 Hypersonic defence efforts prioritise global sensor coverage - Defence agencies are expanding global sensor coverage through satellites and ground systems to ensur...
- 09:00 Distributed space architectures become standard military approach - Armed forces are increasingly adopting distributed satellite constellations to enhance resilience an...
- 09:00 Collaborative combat aircraft expand into electronic warfare roles - Future autonomous wingman systems are being designed to perform electronic warfare, decoy and suppre...
- 09:00 Defence procurement increasingly driven by industrial capacity - Production scalability, supply chain resilience and delivery timelines are becoming decisive factors...
