The unexpected country snubbed by the US that has outperformed everyone in the air war: ‘The F-35 wouldn’t have stood a chance

Türkiye has been a NATO member since 1952, the same year it joined alongside Greece. Since then, it has played a key role as one of the alliance’s main military powers.

In 2019, Türkiye was excluded from the F-35 fighter jet development program by the United States after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system. While the other NATO countries participated in the project, Ankara focused its efforts on the Kızılelma.

Officially named Baykar Bayraktar Kızılelma (Red Apple in English), this is a single-engine unmanned combat aircraft developed under the MIUS project. It completed its first flight at the end of 2022 after passing all preliminary tests.

Praise from Elon Musk

The unmanned aircraft model was praised by Elon Musk, who pointed to drones as the future replacements for current fighter jets. “The F-35 wouldn’t have stood a chance against them,” he stated, thereby criticizing the fighter jets.

It can reach speeds of up to 684 mph, with a range of over 560 miles, and a maximum takeoff weight of 13,200 lbs, 3,300 lbs of which is available for payload. It is also suitable for carrier operations. These features bring it close to the models developed by NATO.

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