Chapter 25. Japan, Israel, and Turkiye: Emerging Powers in Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft

Japan, Israel, and Turkiye: Emerging powers in autonomous drone development The order of the sky is being reorganized. For a long time, air superiority was the exclusive domain of the United States, Russia, and, more recently, China. They ruled the skies with huge budgets and decades of experience. However, with the invention of a new gunpowder called AI, the rules of the game are changing. Emerging powerhouses with small but sharp blades have emerged. Let’s look at Japan first. Don't underestimate this country. They are the country that created Zero Sen during World War II.

Although the wings were broken after the defeat, the potential of aerospace technology still remains. In August 2025, Japan's Ministry of Defense released an important report. The plan is to develop collaborative UAVs that will operate alongside new fighter jets by 2035. Japan, along with the UK and Italy, is building a 6th generation fighter aircraft through the Global Combat Aviation Program (GCAP). But their real ambition lies in AI drones that fly alongside those fighter jets. Japan is an island country. The vast Pacific Ocean must be monitored.

However, the population is decreasing and the number of applicants to the Self-Defense Forces is decreasing. If we can't protect the sky with people, we have to use machines. There is no choice. The Japanese approach is as systematic and sophisticated as their culture. An experimental unmanned aerial vehicle developed by Subaru has been delivered to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (ATLA). Technology is being tested that would allow a single pilot to remotely control multiple drones simultaneously. A prototype of a human-machine interface system is also being developed. Japan also joined hands with the United States.

Signed a contract with Boeing Japan to conduct simulation research on Royal Wingman drones such as the MQ-28 Ghost Bat. In 2026, the Air Self-Defense Force will observe Ghost Bat flight tests in Australia. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is also developing two collaborative drone concepts of its own. The GCAP fighter is being designed from the ground up to command a team of unmanned aerial vehicles. Sensor fusion through AI-based battle cloud, 360-degree battlefield awareness through helmet-mounted display. It can carry twice the armament of the F-35A and aims to have a range that can cross the Atlantic Ocean without refueling.

The goal is deployment in 2035.

Japan's strengths lie in sensor and material technology. Their drones are more than just bomb carriers. Equipped with an infrared sensor and high-performance radar, it becomes the eyes in the sky to detect enemy stealth aircraft. Instead of armor, samurai are armed with semiconductors and algorithms. Now let's go to Israel. This small country is the king of drone technology. 1982 Bekaa Valley air battle. Israel threw a drone as bait to turn on Syria's air defenses. The moment the radar sent out radio waves, an anti-radar missile flew and devastated the area. It was the beginning of modern air defense suppression operations.

For Israel, drones are not the future, but survival. The Heron and Hermes series have been monitoring the skies of the Middle East for decades. The Hermes 900 has an endurance of over 30 hours and reaches altitudes of 30,000 feet. It can carry a payload of 300kg and is equipped with electro-optical/infrared sensors, synthetic aperture radar, and electronic warfare equipment. The militaries of more than 50 countries operate Elbit Systems' unmanned aerial vehicles. But the real scary thing about Israel is their self-destructing drones (Loitering Munitions). See Harop. This thing flies like a missile but hovers over the target area.

When an enemy's radar radio wave is detected, the AI ​​immediately corrects the trajectory and connects it to the radar antenna. What if the enemy turns off the radar? Use the camera to locate and destroy it. The machine finds its prey on its own, without the pilot having to press any buttons. Harop boasts an operational radius of 600 miles and an endurance of 6 hours. It has already been exported to India and Azerbaijan. In 2020, Azerbaijan deployed Harop into combat against Armenia. Israel's self-destructing drones are not simulators, but real-life predators.

In December 2025, the Iron Beam high-energy laser air defense system entered service with the Israel Defense Forces. AI analyzes the trajectory, speed, altitude, and type of the threat in real time and selects the optimal method between laser interception and missile interception. Each laser shot costs only a few dollars in electricity costs. Compare this to the tens of thousands of dollars a single Tamir missile from Iron Dome costs. Israel produces genius hackers and programmers in elite units such as Unit 8200. Their AI algorithms were trained in real-world training grounds: the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

Technology to recognize the enemy's face, distinguish between civilians and enemies, and accurately penetrate through narrow window gaps. In 2025, Germany purchased Heron drones for almost 1 billion euros. Romania also signed a contract worth $400 million with Elbit. Europe is quietly relying on Israeli drone technology.

Lastly is Turkiye. This country has changed the landscape of drone warfare. Even 10 years ago, no one would have thought that Türkiye would become an aviation powerhouse. But with the advent of the Bayrak Thar TB2, everything changed. During the Ukraine war, these drones turned Russian tanks into scrap metal. Deadly effect at an affordable price. This is a new grammar of drone warfare. But Türkiye's ambitions did not stop there. On November 29, 2025, history was made. Over Sinop, Black Sea coast. Bayraktar Kızılelma shoots down a jet-powered target drone. By using Gökdoğan beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles.

This was the world's first incident in which an unmanned fighter jet shot down an aerial target with a BVR missile. Why is this important? For a long time, drones were used only for reconnaissance and ground strike. Fighting other planes in the sky was a man's domain. But Kzl-Elma broke down that boundary. The drone got into an air battle. During the test, Kzlelma flew in formation with five F-16s of the Turkish Air Force. The MURAD AESA radar developed by Aselsan detected and tracked the target. The Gokdoan missile manufactured by TÜBİTAK-SAGE hit the target. Platforms, sensors, and weapons are all domestically produced in Turkiye.

This completes the independent kill chain. KzlElma entered mass production in August 2025. Maximum takeoff weight of 8.5 tons, weapons payload of 1.5 tons. It has a combat radius of 500 nautical miles at altitudes of 25,000 to 30,000 feet. It has a stealth design and aims for supersonic flight. It is scheduled to serve as a royal wingman along with Turkye's 5th generation fighter KAAN. On December 31, 2025, a flight test equipped with the KARAT infrared search and track (IRST) system was also successful. It is a passive sensor that tracks targets using infrared light without using radar.

Since it does not emit radio waves to enemies, it does not reveal your location. TAI's ANKA-3 should also be noted. It is a stealth unmanned aerial vehicle in the shape of a flying wing without tail fins. The first flight was performed in December 2023, and the TOLUN guided bomb was launched from the internal weapons bay in January 2025.

The drop test was successful. Internal firing maintains a low radar cross-section until the moment of impact. We plan to expand its air-to-air role by installing Aselsan's MURAD radar. Turkiye has already signed drone export contracts with 37 countries. Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia are showing interest. MUGEM, under construction by Türkiye, is the world's first dedicated drone aircraft carrier. Kzl Elma and TB3 are also scheduled to operate from the TCG Anadolu landing ship. The key to the Turkiye method is quick execution.

Failure is quickly consumed by raising it to the sky before proving perfection with documentation. America's Let’s summarize the three countries. Japan is writing new rules in the sky with systems and cooperation, Israel with actual data and algorithms, and Turkiye with mass production and bold implementation. What they had in common was that they were not only looking at the United States. They made their own weapons that were perfect for their battlefield. When I flew the F-16, I wanted my wingman to be human. Humans who can make eye contact, communicate with hand gestures, and share the fear of death.

However, looking at their technology now, my thoughts change. AI drones that do not know fatigue, do not feel fear, and have learned from tens of millions of virtual battles. These may be the true winners of future air battles. The sky is no longer Top Guns' exclusive stage. New warriors armed with chips, sensors, and code are coming. And Japan, Israel and Turkiye are at the forefront of that flow, refining the slings that threaten the giants.

Part 6. Sixth-Generation Fighters and Intelligent Formations