The Turkish Air Force is strengthening its independence by shifting pilot training and combat preparation to a fully domestic ecosystem built around HÜRKUŞ, HÜRJET, KAAN and national simulators.

TUSAŞ-developed SÜPER ŞİMŞEK was used for the first time as an airborne training target during Anatolian Eagle 2026/1 after being released from the AKSUNGUR UAV.

FPV drones were tested under harsh Arctic conditions during NATO’s Cold Response 2026 exercise in Norway. Norwegian and U.S. forces evaluated the performance of unmanned systems in reconnaissance and strike roles.

Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır stated that the air defense systems within the Steel Dome framework are active, Tayfun is in serial production, and Türkiye’s national defense capabilities are rapidly strengthening.

The US Marine Corps plans to procure 61,000 multispectral camouflage cloaks by 2030 to reduce detection by drones, visual surveillance systems, and thermal sensors.

Baykar’s domestically developed K2 Kamikaze UAV completed AI-supported swarm flight tests successfully, standing out with long range, high payload capacity and resilience against electronic warfare conditions.

Haluk Görgün, head of Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries, said the K2 Kamikaze UAV stands out with AI-supported autonomous swarm capability, long range and an effective warhead.

Developed by TAI with national resources, HÜRJET completed 79 planned test points in 18 sorties during low-altitude and high-speed trials conducted in Antalya.