WAR Regional conflict brewing in the Mediterranean
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Attacking every day it seems
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Gunmen attack major Shiite holy site in Iran, killing 15
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Gunmen attacked a major Shiite holy site in Iran on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens. The attack came as protesters elsewhere in Iran marked
www.columbian.com
Gunmen attack major Shiite holy site in Iran, killing 15
By The Associated Press,Published: October 26, 2022, 9:28am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Gunmen attacked a major Shiite holy site in Iran on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens. The attack came as protesters elsewhere in Iran marked a symbolic 40 days since a woman’s death in custody ignited the biggest anti-government movement in over a decade.
State TV blamed the attack on “takfiris,” a term that refers to Sunni Muslim extremists who have targeted the country’s Shiite majority in the past. The attack appeared to be unrelated to the demonstrations.
The official website of the judiciary said two gunmen were arrested and a third is on the run after the attack on the Shah Cheragh mosque, the second holiest site in Iran. The state-run IRNA news agency reported the death toll and state TV said 40 people were wounded.
An Iranian news website considered to be close to the Supreme National Security Council reported that the attackers were foreign nationals, without elaborating.
Such attacks are rare in Iran, but last April, an assailant stabbed two clerics to death at the Imam Reza shrine, the country’s most revered Shiite site, in the northeast city of Mashhad.
Earlier on Wednesday, thousands of protesters had poured into the streets of a northwestern city to mark the watershed 40 days since the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, whose tragedy sparked the protests.
Deaths are commemorated in Shiite Islam — as in many other traditions — again 40 days later, typically with an outpouring of grief. In Amini’s Kurdish hometown of Saqez, the birthplace of the nationwide unrest now roiling Iran, crowds snaked through the local cemetery and thronged her grave.
“Death to the dictator!” protesters cried, according to video footage that corresponds with known features of the city and Aichi Cemetery. Women ripped off their headscarves, or hijabs, and waved them above their heads. Other videos showed a massive procession making its way along a highway and through a dusty field toward Amini’s grave. There were reports of road closures in the area.
State-linked media reported 10,000 protesters in the procession to her grave.
Hengaw, a Kurdish human rights group, said security forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators. The semiofficial ISNA news agency said security forces fired pellets at crowds of demonstrators on the outskirts of Saqez and pushed back demonstrators who tried to attack the governor’s office. It said local internet access was cut off due to “security considerations.”
Earlier in the day, Kurdistan Gov. Esmail Zarei Koosha insisted that traffic was flowing as normal, calling the situation “completely stable.”
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hmm. dot?
IDF begins to draft female recruits to elite units previously closed off to women
By Emanuel Fabian
The Israel Defense Forces will begin to draft female recruits to a number of elite units for the first time starting next month, the military announced Saturday.
In June, the IDF said it would open more combat roles to female fighters — including in elite search and rescue and combat engineering units — beyond the mixed-gender light infantry units where some already serve.
Starting in November, female recruits will be able to undergo various special physical and mental screenings, enabling them to serve in combat positions in the helicopter-borne search and rescue Unit 669 and the Yahalom combat engineering unit.
Recruits who do not pass the screenings will be given a chance to apply to other combat roles in which women can already serve.
The draft of female recruits to the elite units will likely serve as a litmus test for military planners who say more roles may be opened in the future, depending on the success of integration in these units.
The IDF also has plans to allow female recruits to serve as drivers in an infantry brigade. The brigade that will run the pilot will be determined at a later date.
Soldiers from the Israeli Air Force’s elite Unit 669 take part in an exercise in an undated photograph. (Israel Defense Forces)
The June decision was made following recommendations of an internal committee that called on the military to open new combat roles to female recruits.
The committee was formed by the IDF in 2020 to evaluate the integration of women in additional combat roles in the military, after four female recruits petitioned the High Court of Justice for the right to try out for combat units that are currently open only to men.
The committee estimated that there were likely dozens of potential female recruits who meet the physiological thresholds required for certain roles in infantry units, but decided to allow them to serve first only as drivers, in order to put their theory to the test.
The potential drivers will need to meet the requirements necessary for infantry troops.
The panel, explaining the relatively modest expansion, said it did not think more than a handful of women would meet the tough physiological requirements for other roles in elite combat units.
Women serve in a variety of roles in the IDF, in many cases alongside male counterparts.
There are also fully integrated mixed-gender combat units such as the Caracal and Bardelas battalions, which are tasked with protecting Israel’s border with Egypt and Jordan, respectively.
The IDF on Thursday declared the success of a two-year pilot program for a company of all-women tank operators in Caracal, and said the role would become permanent in the military.
In the Air Force, women and men serve together in the air defense units, including the Iron Dome — technically considered a combat unit.
Female soldiers operate a tank in the Negev desert in an undated photograph. (Israel Defense Forces)
Critics of gender integration in the military often decry it as a dangerous experiment with potential ramifications for national security, while defenders hail it as a long-needed measure that puts Israel on par with other Western countries.
Detractors note that some requirements for female combat soldiers have been lowered — which they say is a sign that effectiveness is being sacrificed — and that servicewomen suffer stress injuries at a higher rate.
The army has insisted in the past that it is allowing more women to serve in combat positions out of practical considerations, not due to a progressive social agenda.
Military service is compulsory for Israeli men, who serve for two years and eight months, while women serve for two years. Some units require troops to stay on longer than their compulsory time, due to lengthy training periods.
IDF begins to draft female recruits to elite units previously closed off to women
Starting in November, women can for the first time try out for vaunted helicopter search and rescue unit as well as combat engineering
www.timesofisrael.com
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Iraq arrests ISIS leader, and initiates security campaign
Photo released by General Command of Iraqi Army for the captured ISIS leader DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – On Monday, Iraqi forces announced they captured a leader in the Islamic State Organization (ISIS) in central Iraq, while the areas west country witness a sweeping operation to pursue sleeper cells of the organization.
Major General Yahya Rasul, the spokesman for the Commander in Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces said under orders by armed forces, the Anti-Terror Apparatus carried out a “qualitative operation” resulted in the capture of an ISIS leader known as Abu Hamza al-Mitweti.
Rasul added al-Mitweti served as a security leader in “Kirkuk Province” and worked formerly as commander of storming battalion in the Fourqan Division in the “Nineveh Province.”
This comes as Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) launches a security operation in cooperation with the army from four axes west and south of Mosul close to the Syrian border.
The PMF said the operation aims at pursuing ISIS sleeper cells in those areas and to bridge the gaps that could be used by the terrorist organization from which it could carry out operation against civilians or security forces.
Reporting by Hozan Zubeir
Iraq arrests ISIS leader, and initiates security campaign
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Israel Radar
@IsraelRadar_com
5h
Netanyahu's main mission as prime minister will be to stop Iran's nuclear project, says Likud MK Hanegbi (via @YediotAhronot). Decision time nears, fateful decisions ahead, he says. Right-wing bloc holds large lead with 65 seats after 97% of votes counted.
@IsraelRadar_com
5h
Netanyahu's main mission as prime minister will be to stop Iran's nuclear project, says Likud MK Hanegbi (via @YediotAhronot). Decision time nears, fateful decisions ahead, he says. Right-wing bloc holds large lead with 65 seats after 97% of votes counted.
Posted for fair use.....
oilprice.com
General Khalifa Haftar is again warning that he may move to war in Libya as the stalemate continues. Oil is still miraculously pumping, but that may not last, despite Turkey’s meddling.
Turkey has now endorsed the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) under current interim prime minister Dbeibah. This has angered Egypt. In the east, parliament appointed Fatih Bashagha as prime minister. It all led to a stalemate, with Dbeibah refusing to step down though his term had technically ended, and with Bashaghga failing to take Tripoli and losing some crucial militia loyalty in the process. Now, there is talk of a third government, provoking a stalemate that’s just waiting to explode.
The creation of a third government, ostensibly to unify all Libyans, is the brainchild of Ageela Saleh, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and Khaled Mishri, the head of the High State Council. The two are conspiring to “unify” the country’s two governments.
Now, Haftar is sending warnings to Turkey that he is willing to wage a “decisive war” to “liberate” the country. “All peaceful efforts aimed at leading to the withdrawal of the occupiers have failed. We have no choice but to wage a decisive battle, no matter the cost and time, without hesitation and with all our might,” he said.
Haftar accuses Turkey of attempting to colonize Libya and resolve its own crises by exploiting the country. But…
(Rest behind pay wall, HC)
Warnings Of War In Libya | OilPrice.com
Haftar has warned that he might launch a 'decisive war' the liberate Libya as a political stalemate continues
oilprice.com
Warnings Of War In Libya
By Editorial Dept - Nov 04, 2022, 8:00 AM CDTGeneral Khalifa Haftar is again warning that he may move to war in Libya as the stalemate continues. Oil is still miraculously pumping, but that may not last, despite Turkey’s meddling.
Turkey has now endorsed the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) under current interim prime minister Dbeibah. This has angered Egypt. In the east, parliament appointed Fatih Bashagha as prime minister. It all led to a stalemate, with Dbeibah refusing to step down though his term had technically ended, and with Bashaghga failing to take Tripoli and losing some crucial militia loyalty in the process. Now, there is talk of a third government, provoking a stalemate that’s just waiting to explode.
The creation of a third government, ostensibly to unify all Libyans, is the brainchild of Ageela Saleh, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and Khaled Mishri, the head of the High State Council. The two are conspiring to “unify” the country’s two governments.
Now, Haftar is sending warnings to Turkey that he is willing to wage a “decisive war” to “liberate” the country. “All peaceful efforts aimed at leading to the withdrawal of the occupiers have failed. We have no choice but to wage a decisive battle, no matter the cost and time, without hesitation and with all our might,” he said.
Haftar accuses Turkey of attempting to colonize Libya and resolve its own crises by exploiting the country. But…
(Rest behind pay wall, HC)
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Israel strikes air base in central Syria, killing two servicemen, Syrian military says
2 minute read
November 13, 2022
1:04 PM CST
Last Updated 5 hours ago
AMMAN Nov 13 (Reuters) - Israeli missiles hit a major air base in Syria's Homs province on Sunday, killing two servicemen and injuring three others, the Syrian military said via state news agency SANA.
Military sources said the air base, at Shayrat, was recently used by the Iranian airforce.
Syrian state media posted a short video of the "aggression" and said there were material damages, without elaborating.
Register for free to Reuters and know the full story
One military source, who was not authorised to speak publicly, said the strikes had targeted a runway in the sprawling air base that is located southeast of Homs city.Asked about the strike, a spokesperson for the Israeli military said it did not comment on foreign reports.
The runway and underground facilities at Shayrat, including aircraft shelters, have undergone a major expansion by the Russia military in the last three years, the military source said.
Russia, which maintains a major military presence in Syria, has forces stationed near to Shayrat air base and uses the base, security sources say.
Latest Updates
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The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which monitors such events said a warehouse for Iranian militias and Hezbollah located within Shayrat air base were destroyed in Sunday's strike.
Opposition military sources say Iranian militias hold sway in large swathes of western Homs province near the Lebanese border and to the east where they have a string of bases.
Iran, which poured thousands of it's Shi'ite militias to help Syrian President Bashar al Assad win his battle against insurgents, says its military presence in Syria is limited to a limited number of advisors.
Israel has been mounting attacks in Syria for years against what it has described as Iranian and Iran-backed forces that have deployed there during the war, which began more than a decade ago.
Israel strikes air base in central Syria, killing two servicemen, Syrian military says
Israeli missiles hit a major air base in Syria's Homs province on Sunday, killing two servicemen and injuring three others, the Syrian military said via state news agency SANA.
www.reuters.com
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Turkey 'rejects' US condolences over Istanbul attack: interior minister - Insider Paper
AFP
1 minute
Turkey on Monday rejected US condolences over the death of six people in a bomb attack in Istanbul that Ankara blamed on an outlawed Kurdish militant group.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan often accuses Washington of supplying weapons to Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, deemed as “terrorists” by Ankara.
“We do not accept the US embassy’s message of condolences. We reject it,” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in televised comments.
Turkey 'rejects' US condolences over Istanbul attack: interior minister - Insider Paper
Turkey on Monday rejected US condolences over the death of six people in a bomb attack in Istanbul that Ankara blamed on an outlawed Kurdish.
insiderpaper.com
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Turkey arrests Syrian woman, accuses PKK over Istanbul attack - Insider Paper
AFP
5-7 minutes
Turkey on Monday accused a Syrian woman of planting a bomb that killed six people in Istanbul, blaming the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of carrying out the attack.
Two girls, aged nine and 15, were among those killed when the bomb exploded shortly after 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) on Sunday in Istiklal Avenue, home to smart boutiques and European consulates. More than 80 other people were wounded.
“The person who planted the bomb has been arrested,” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in a statement broadcast by the official Anadolu news agency early Monday.
“According to our findings, the PKK terrorist organisation is responsible,” Soylu said.
The PKK, blacklisted as a terrorist group by Ankara and its Western allies, has waged a deadly insurgency for Kurdish self-rule in southeastern Turkey since the 1980s.
It denied any role in the latest attack.
“There is no relationship between the PKK and yesterday’s explosion in Istanbul,” the group’s spokesman told AFP.
A Turkish official told AFP that initial findings point to “units within a youth organisation affiliated with the PKK.”
Police, quoted by private NTV television, said the chief suspect is a Syrian woman working for Kurdish militants. Forty-six people were detained in total, police said.
Police footage shared with Turkish media showed a young woman in a purple sweatshirt being apprehended in an Istanbul flat.
Police, cited by NTV, named her as Alham Albashir and said she was arrested at 02:50 am in an Istanbul suburb. Local media said she was a trained PKK intelligence operative and 23 years old.
– ‘Profoundly sad’ –
Turkey buried the victims on Monday.“Of course we are profoundly sad. A young teacher and her daughter being the victims of such a treacherous attack has upset us deeply,” said Orhan Akkaya, a relative of a mother and her 15-year-old daughter killed in the attack.
The grieving father, Nurettin Ucar, was crying over his daughter’s Turkish flag-wrapped coffin.
There has been no claim of responsibility.
“We believe that the order for the attack was given from Kobane,” Soylu said, referring to a city in Syria near the Turkish border.
PKK-affiliated Kurdish militants control most of northeastern Syria and, in 2015, Kurdish fighters drove Islamic State jihadists out of the city.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) also denied any role in the attack.
“Our forces have nothing to do with the Istanbul bombing,” said Mazloum Abdi, the chief commander of the US-allied SDF.
Justice minister Bekir Bozdag told A Haber television that a woman had been sitting on a bench for more than 40 minutes, “then she got up”, leaving a bag.
“One or two minutes later, an explosion occurred,” he said.
On Monday, all the benches had been removed from Istiklal Avenue, where residents laid red carnations at the scene of the blast, some wiping away tears and others speaking of their fear of further attacks in the run-up to elections next June.
“We need more security!” said Idris Cetinkaya, who works at a nearby hotel and who came to pay his respects.
– ‘Live with fear’ –
“The police just searched my bag when I got here, but that’s the first time in a year. Millions of people come here, anything could happen at any second!”Istiklal Avenue was previously targeted during a campaign of nationwide bombings in 2015-16 that were blamed mostly on the Islamic State group and outlawed Kurdish militants, killing nearly 500 people and wounding more than 2,000.
On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the “vile attack” that had the “smell of terror” shortly before leaving for the G20 summit on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.
Kemal Ozturk, a shopkeeper, is among those who fear another explosion ahead of presidential and legislative elections in seven months’ time.
“In an election period it can happen,” the 42-year-old told AFP. “We live with fear”.
Regularly targeted by Turkish military operations, the PKK has also been at the heart of a tussle between Sweden and Turkey, which has blocked Stockholm’s bid to join NATO since May, accusing it of leniency towards the group.
– Reject US condolences –
International condemnation flooded in from across the world, including from the United States, but on Monday, Turkey said it rejected US condolences over the attack.Erdogan’s government has often accused Washington of supplying weapons to Kurdish fighters in northern Syria who Ankara labels as terror group linked to the PKK.
“We do not accept the US embassy’s message of condolences. We reject it,” Soylu said.
“We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our NATO ally Turkey in countering terrorism,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. The US embassy tweeted it was “deeply saddened by the explosion”.
President Vladimir Putin on Monday added his own condolences in a message to Erdogan.
“We reaffirm our readiness for the closest interaction with our Turkish partners in the fight against all forms and manifestations of terrorism,” Putin said.
Istiklal Avenue reopened Monday to pedestrian traffic.
“My son was there. He called me and said an explosion happened,” said Mecit Bal, who runs a small shop a few metres from the scene.
He will not go back to work today. He is psychologically affected,” he told AFP.
Turkey arrests Syrian woman, accuses PKK over Istanbul attack - Insider Paper
Turkey on Monday accused a Syrian woman of planting a bomb that killed six people in Istanbul, blaming the outlawed Kurdistan Workers'.
insiderpaper.com
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Charles Lister
@Charles_Lister
Update -- 38+ #Turkey airstrikes reported tonight, mostly in northern #Syria, but some also in northern #Iraq.
Strikes have taken place in airspace controlled by the U.S. & #Russia.
x3 strikes hit shared #Assad-#SDF positions north of #Aleppo, killing #SAA soldiers.
View: https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister/status/1594127691690778626?s=20&t=3oXq_RnxJgEwATNgDp8AwA
@Charles_Lister
Update -- 38+ #Turkey airstrikes reported tonight, mostly in northern #Syria, but some also in northern #Iraq.
Strikes have taken place in airspace controlled by the U.S. & #Russia.
x3 strikes hit shared #Assad-#SDF positions north of #Aleppo, killing #SAA soldiers.
View: https://twitter.com/Charles_Lister/status/1594127691690778626?s=20&t=3oXq_RnxJgEwATNgDp8AwA
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Turkey's Erdogan says Syria operations not limited to air campaign -media
1 minute read
November 21, 2022
4:05 AM CST
Last Updated an hour ago
ISTANBUL, Nov 21 (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey's military operations in northern Syria and Iraq were not limited to just an air campaign and discussions would be held on the involvement of ground forces, Turkish media reported.
Speaking to reporters on his return from a trip to Qatar, Erdogan said that the Turkish general staff and defence ministry would decide together on the involvement of ground forces, broadcasters TRT and CNN Turk reported.
Turkish warplanes carried out air strikes on Kurdish militant bases in Syria and Iraq on Sunday, destroying 89 targets, the defence ministry said, retaliating for a bomb attack in Istanbul that killed six people one week ago.
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/ICEL4SUZLBKVRCEQKC6ON7VWAM.jpg)
Turkey's Erdogan says Syria operations not limited to air campaign -media
President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey's military operations in northern Syria and Iraq were not limited to just an air campaign and discussions would be held on the involvement of ground forces, Turkish media reported.
www.reuters.com
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Aceu™
@AceJaceu
Turkish Ground Force Operation in N. Syria is imminent
View: https://twitter.com/AceJaceu/status/1594652294217433088?s=20&t=qPDtat1LGrpnedpVcJ26HQ
@AceJaceu
Turkish Ground Force Operation in N. Syria is imminent
View: https://twitter.com/AceJaceu/status/1594652294217433088?s=20&t=qPDtat1LGrpnedpVcJ26HQ
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Turkey’s Fighter-Like Drone Emerges For Taxi Tests
Thomas Newdick
9-12 minutes
Turkey’s Baykar company has begun ground tests of its Bayraktar Kizilelma drone, described as the country’s first unmanned fighter aircraft. Accompanying imagery of the tests, at the Akinci Flight Training and Test Center in the northwestern province of Tekirdag, which included taxi runs ahead of its first flight, provide us with our best look so far at this unique uncrewed air vehicle. This would appear to be aimed at a range of combat roles and which is also supposedly being developed for operations from aircraft carriers.
The Kizilelma — meaning Red Apple in Turkish — has been developed by Baykar, which is responsible for the Bayraktar TB2 that has seen notable combat success in the hands of Azerbaijan and Ukraine, as well as the larger Bayraktar Akinci. The Kizilelma is a very different proposition, however, claimed to be supersonic (at least in later versions), having a degree of reduced-observable characteristics, and tailored for the kinds of air combat missions typically undertaken by manned fighter jets.
Powered by a single Ukrainian-designed Ivchenko-Progress turbofan engine, the Kizilelma has a canard-delta configuration, of the kind seen on some other reduced-observable combat aircraft designs, including China’s J-20 manned fighter and mysterious Dark Sword drone. The use of canards is a tradeoff between low observability and maneuverability, although some measures can be taken to limit their impact on radar signature. The tail surfaces consist of canted vertical stabilizers.
An infographic showing the salient points of the Kizilelma drone. Baykar
According to the technical requirements, the Kizilelma should have an endurance of five to six hours, a combat radius of 500 nautical miles, and a service ceiling of 35,000 feet. Maximum takeoff weight is 13,228 pounds, including a payload of 3,306 pounds. That payload will include disposable stores carried in an internal weapons bay, further preserving its stealth characteristics. Weapons are likely to include examples of the wide range of air-to-ground precision munitions and air-to-air missiles developed by Turkish industry.
While the first prototype Kizilelma, and other early versions, are expected to be powered by a non-afterburning Ivchenko-Progress AI-25TLT turbofan, this is planned to be replaced on later versions by an afterburning Ivchenko-Progress AI-322F, which should ensure supersonic performance.
Even with the non-afterburning engine, the Kizilelma should offer impressive performance for a drone, with a maximum speed close to Mach 1. Ultimately, there is a plan for a twin-engined version, with a pair of AI-322Fs, for further improved performance. In its initial form, the engine exhaust is decidedly non-stealthy, although it’s feasible that low-observable characteristics could be improved by refining this area, something that Russia is doing with its Okhotnik drone. But really, this aircraft has features to reduce its radar cross-section from certain angles, such as the fuselage chine lines, but clearly, high performance has been weighted more heavily than low observability. This is not something that we see typically in UCAVs, with the possible exception of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, at least to some degree.
A rear view of the Kizilelma with the exposed nozzle for the AI-25TLT engine. Baykar
The AI-322F turbofan engine designed for light combat aircraft is planned to power later versions of the Kizilelma. VoidWanderer/Wikimedia Commons
In contrast to the TB2 and Akinci, the fast and high-flying Kizilelma is planned to have an air-to-air combat capability, as well as conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike operations. Few details, however, are available of the avionics and overall mission architecture that will be required to conduct counter-air missions, let alone more straightforward functions. Reportedly, the drone will be fitted with some kind of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
More broadly, it’s unclear if the overall concept of the Kizilelma is based on a ‘loyal wingman’-type drone companion to manned fighters, or if the drone will be controlled from a ground station, or even if it will be expected to shoot down hostile aircraft with some degree of autonomy. The latter point is one that the U.S. Air Force, in particular, is now grappling with, as you can read about here.
The Kizilelma during taxi trials. Baykar
The development of the Kizilelma began as long ago as 2013, although the project was only revealed to the public in July 2021, when conceptual studies were presented. The first flight is scheduled to take place next year. That goal would seem achievable, based on the fact that a prototype is now undergoing ground tests.
According to Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper, the taxi tests and ground runs have actually been completed, although this can’t be confirmed. In a video posted to his Twitter account, Selcuk Bayraktar, Baykar’s chief technology officer, said that the first takeoff roll test was planned to be conducted at slower speeds but that “we exceeded that limit” and that the “first autonomous taxi and takeoff roll test” had been successfully accomplished. That would seem to suggest that the Hurriyet report is wrong on that aspect and that further ground tests are planned.
Hurriyet also reports that a first “engine integration test” was completed two months ago — this likely refers to the first time that the installed engine was powered up on the ground, as seen in the video below.
Speaking at Turkey’s Teknofest aerospace and technology event held in Samsun in August, Haluk Bayraktar, Baykar’s General Manager, said of the Kizilelma: “The cost will not be high, we will be able to produce much more at a lower cost.”
If that’s the case, Baykar may be able to bring to market a combat drone that’s within reach of customers who may well not be able to afford similar U.S. products or who are otherwise unable to secure export licenses for these types of high-end combat UAVs. Currently, few other nations — with the notable exception of Australia — have progressed as far as testing drones in this category, with China being a notable exception. Whether the overall cost would be low enough for the Kizilelma to be considered ‘attritable,’ even if only for certain scenarios, is unclear, although that certainly seems to be a possibility.
Another significant aspect of the Kizilelma is its claimed short takeoff and landing capability, which would allegedly allow it to operate from small-deck aircraft carriers like the Turkish Navy’s Anadolu amphibious assault ship, which features a ‘ski jump’ takeoff ramp at the bow.
TCG Anadolu (L-400) under construction at the Sedef Shipyard in Istanbul in September 2022. tolgaozbekcom/Wikimedia Commons
Reports from Turkey suggest that the military initially wants to operate smaller Bayraktar TB2 drones from the Anadolu, and it’s unclear what degree of modifications would be required to the ship and to the Kizilelma to allow this larger and heavier drone to go to sea.
Certainly, the landing gear of the prototype Kizilelma seen undertaking ground tests appears to be far too lightweight to cope with the rigors of deck launches and recoveries. It remains unclear if the Kizilelma in its basic form will have the required thrust for a ski-jump launch, without catapult assistance. Baykar officials have previously said the Anadolu would be equipped with arrestor cables to recover the drones.
“To give UAVs takeoff-and-land[ing] ability on aircraft carriers, their structure must be strong because they are subjected to very high G-shocks,” Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar told Defense News in 2021. “We aim to develop a new UCAV that will successfully land and take off on LHD Anadolu in one year,” he added, perhaps in reference to the Kizilelma, or maybe a further development of the TB2.
Overall, the Kizilelma is an interesting approach to designing a high-speed tactical UCAV. It seems to combine features typical of reduced signature (rather than low-observable) design with an airframe and powerplant that should ensure a high level of performance. With later versions offering supersonic performance, this will increase its survivability against a range of air-to-air and ground-based air defenses.
For Turkey, a drone of this kind could be a useful way of addressing the growing problem of fighter ‘mass,’ with Ankara having been ejected from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and a question hanging over a proposed deal to buy more F-16s. Meanwhile, without U.S. support, the ability to bring the homegrown TF-X stealth fighter into service on the current ambitious timeline appears highly questionable. Buying significant numbers of Kizilelma UCAVs could offset at least some of this demand, while also preserving the airframe life of existing manned types.
The TF-X mockup at the 2019 Paris Air Show. TAI
However, at this stage, it remains questionable to what degree Baykar will be able to configure the drone to undertake air-to-air missions. While clearly an aspiration, this involves a level of flight control software, command and control architecture, and computing power that may be beyond Turkey, despite its considerable achievements in developing more conventional ISR and strike drones.
On the other hand, even if the Kizilelma is restricted, initially at least, to reconnaissance and strike missions, its claimed low price point could make it a very tempting force multiplier for the Turkish military as well as other customers. For more hazardous roles such as defense suppression or attacks on heavily defended targets, the Kizilelma could be an attractive option, especially in its later versions that promise true fighter-like performance.
www.thedrive.com
Thomas Newdick
9-12 minutes
Turkey’s Baykar company has begun ground tests of its Bayraktar Kizilelma drone, described as the country’s first unmanned fighter aircraft. Accompanying imagery of the tests, at the Akinci Flight Training and Test Center in the northwestern province of Tekirdag, which included taxi runs ahead of its first flight, provide us with our best look so far at this unique uncrewed air vehicle. This would appear to be aimed at a range of combat roles and which is also supposedly being developed for operations from aircraft carriers.
The Kizilelma — meaning Red Apple in Turkish — has been developed by Baykar, which is responsible for the Bayraktar TB2 that has seen notable combat success in the hands of Azerbaijan and Ukraine, as well as the larger Bayraktar Akinci. The Kizilelma is a very different proposition, however, claimed to be supersonic (at least in later versions), having a degree of reduced-observable characteristics, and tailored for the kinds of air combat missions typically undertaken by manned fighter jets.
Powered by a single Ukrainian-designed Ivchenko-Progress turbofan engine, the Kizilelma has a canard-delta configuration, of the kind seen on some other reduced-observable combat aircraft designs, including China’s J-20 manned fighter and mysterious Dark Sword drone. The use of canards is a tradeoff between low observability and maneuverability, although some measures can be taken to limit their impact on radar signature. The tail surfaces consist of canted vertical stabilizers.
An infographic showing the salient points of the Kizilelma drone. Baykar
According to the technical requirements, the Kizilelma should have an endurance of five to six hours, a combat radius of 500 nautical miles, and a service ceiling of 35,000 feet. Maximum takeoff weight is 13,228 pounds, including a payload of 3,306 pounds. That payload will include disposable stores carried in an internal weapons bay, further preserving its stealth characteristics. Weapons are likely to include examples of the wide range of air-to-ground precision munitions and air-to-air missiles developed by Turkish industry.
While the first prototype Kizilelma, and other early versions, are expected to be powered by a non-afterburning Ivchenko-Progress AI-25TLT turbofan, this is planned to be replaced on later versions by an afterburning Ivchenko-Progress AI-322F, which should ensure supersonic performance.
Even with the non-afterburning engine, the Kizilelma should offer impressive performance for a drone, with a maximum speed close to Mach 1. Ultimately, there is a plan for a twin-engined version, with a pair of AI-322Fs, for further improved performance. In its initial form, the engine exhaust is decidedly non-stealthy, although it’s feasible that low-observable characteristics could be improved by refining this area, something that Russia is doing with its Okhotnik drone. But really, this aircraft has features to reduce its radar cross-section from certain angles, such as the fuselage chine lines, but clearly, high performance has been weighted more heavily than low observability. This is not something that we see typically in UCAVs, with the possible exception of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, at least to some degree.
A rear view of the Kizilelma with the exposed nozzle for the AI-25TLT engine. Baykar
The AI-322F turbofan engine designed for light combat aircraft is planned to power later versions of the Kizilelma. VoidWanderer/Wikimedia Commons
In contrast to the TB2 and Akinci, the fast and high-flying Kizilelma is planned to have an air-to-air combat capability, as well as conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and strike operations. Few details, however, are available of the avionics and overall mission architecture that will be required to conduct counter-air missions, let alone more straightforward functions. Reportedly, the drone will be fitted with some kind of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
More broadly, it’s unclear if the overall concept of the Kizilelma is based on a ‘loyal wingman’-type drone companion to manned fighters, or if the drone will be controlled from a ground station, or even if it will be expected to shoot down hostile aircraft with some degree of autonomy. The latter point is one that the U.S. Air Force, in particular, is now grappling with, as you can read about here.
The Kizilelma during taxi trials. Baykar
The development of the Kizilelma began as long ago as 2013, although the project was only revealed to the public in July 2021, when conceptual studies were presented. The first flight is scheduled to take place next year. That goal would seem achievable, based on the fact that a prototype is now undergoing ground tests.
According to Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper, the taxi tests and ground runs have actually been completed, although this can’t be confirmed. In a video posted to his Twitter account, Selcuk Bayraktar, Baykar’s chief technology officer, said that the first takeoff roll test was planned to be conducted at slower speeds but that “we exceeded that limit” and that the “first autonomous taxi and takeoff roll test” had been successfully accomplished. That would seem to suggest that the Hurriyet report is wrong on that aspect and that further ground tests are planned.
Hurriyet also reports that a first “engine integration test” was completed two months ago — this likely refers to the first time that the installed engine was powered up on the ground, as seen in the video below.
Speaking at Turkey’s Teknofest aerospace and technology event held in Samsun in August, Haluk Bayraktar, Baykar’s General Manager, said of the Kizilelma: “The cost will not be high, we will be able to produce much more at a lower cost.”
If that’s the case, Baykar may be able to bring to market a combat drone that’s within reach of customers who may well not be able to afford similar U.S. products or who are otherwise unable to secure export licenses for these types of high-end combat UAVs. Currently, few other nations — with the notable exception of Australia — have progressed as far as testing drones in this category, with China being a notable exception. Whether the overall cost would be low enough for the Kizilelma to be considered ‘attritable,’ even if only for certain scenarios, is unclear, although that certainly seems to be a possibility.
Another significant aspect of the Kizilelma is its claimed short takeoff and landing capability, which would allegedly allow it to operate from small-deck aircraft carriers like the Turkish Navy’s Anadolu amphibious assault ship, which features a ‘ski jump’ takeoff ramp at the bow.
TCG Anadolu (L-400) under construction at the Sedef Shipyard in Istanbul in September 2022. tolgaozbekcom/Wikimedia Commons
Reports from Turkey suggest that the military initially wants to operate smaller Bayraktar TB2 drones from the Anadolu, and it’s unclear what degree of modifications would be required to the ship and to the Kizilelma to allow this larger and heavier drone to go to sea.
Certainly, the landing gear of the prototype Kizilelma seen undertaking ground tests appears to be far too lightweight to cope with the rigors of deck launches and recoveries. It remains unclear if the Kizilelma in its basic form will have the required thrust for a ski-jump launch, without catapult assistance. Baykar officials have previously said the Anadolu would be equipped with arrestor cables to recover the drones.
“To give UAVs takeoff-and-land[ing] ability on aircraft carriers, their structure must be strong because they are subjected to very high G-shocks,” Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar told Defense News in 2021. “We aim to develop a new UCAV that will successfully land and take off on LHD Anadolu in one year,” he added, perhaps in reference to the Kizilelma, or maybe a further development of the TB2.
Overall, the Kizilelma is an interesting approach to designing a high-speed tactical UCAV. It seems to combine features typical of reduced signature (rather than low-observable) design with an airframe and powerplant that should ensure a high level of performance. With later versions offering supersonic performance, this will increase its survivability against a range of air-to-air and ground-based air defenses.
For Turkey, a drone of this kind could be a useful way of addressing the growing problem of fighter ‘mass,’ with Ankara having been ejected from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and a question hanging over a proposed deal to buy more F-16s. Meanwhile, without U.S. support, the ability to bring the homegrown TF-X stealth fighter into service on the current ambitious timeline appears highly questionable. Buying significant numbers of Kizilelma UCAVs could offset at least some of this demand, while also preserving the airframe life of existing manned types.
The TF-X mockup at the 2019 Paris Air Show. TAI
However, at this stage, it remains questionable to what degree Baykar will be able to configure the drone to undertake air-to-air missions. While clearly an aspiration, this involves a level of flight control software, command and control architecture, and computing power that may be beyond Turkey, despite its considerable achievements in developing more conventional ISR and strike drones.
On the other hand, even if the Kizilelma is restricted, initially at least, to reconnaissance and strike missions, its claimed low price point could make it a very tempting force multiplier for the Turkish military as well as other customers. For more hazardous roles such as defense suppression or attacks on heavily defended targets, the Kizilelma could be an attractive option, especially in its later versions that promise true fighter-like performance.
Turkey’s Fighter-Like Drone Emerges For Taxi Tests
With stealthy features and high speed, the Kizilelma drone is a far more advanced offering than the famous TB2.
www.thedrive.com
jward
passin' thru
Israel Radar
@IsraelRadar_com
6h
Israeli army chief Kochavi in US: Operational plans to attack #Iran must be accelerated, we are at a critical juncture.
The IDF chief is reportedly seeking American support for military strike on Iran's nuclear program if there's no other way to stop it.
British, French and German statement: We will continue with international partners to search for the best ways to confront the Iranian nuclear escalation.
@IsraelRadar_com
6h
Israeli army chief Kochavi in US: Operational plans to attack #Iran must be accelerated, we are at a critical juncture.
The IDF chief is reportedly seeking American support for military strike on Iran's nuclear program if there's no other way to stop it.
British, French and German statement: We will continue with international partners to search for the best ways to confront the Iranian nuclear escalation.
jward
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NORTH PRESS AGENCY - ENGLISH
@NPA_English
#Turkey's drone hits a YAT headquarters within US-led @Coalitoin base in NE #Syria
View: https://twitter.com/NPA_English/status/1595144191423942656?s=20&t=DktcM6w0-0WdCJcKO04-tA
@NPA_English
#Turkey's drone hits a YAT headquarters within US-led @Coalitoin base in NE #Syria
View: https://twitter.com/NPA_English/status/1595144191423942656?s=20&t=DktcM6w0-0WdCJcKO04-tA
jward
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NORTH PRESS AGENCY - ENGLISH
@NPA_English
5h
#Turkey pounds with ground and air bombardment the entire border strip in northern #Syria, targeting more than a dozen positions in less than one day.
View: https://twitter.com/NPA_English/status/1595141487586463745?s=20&t=DktcM6w0-0WdCJcKO04-tA
@NPA_English
5h
#Turkey pounds with ground and air bombardment the entire border strip in northern #Syria, targeting more than a dozen positions in less than one day.
View: https://twitter.com/NPA_English/status/1595141487586463745?s=20&t=DktcM6w0-0WdCJcKO04-tA
jward
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Turkey used U.S., Russian-controlled airspace in Syria strikes -sources
4 minute readNovember 22, 20228:37 AM CSTLast Updated 2 days ago
ANKARA/AMMAN, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Turkey's warplanes crossed into Russian and U.S.-controlled airspace for the first time to attack the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, and it has rallied Syrian allies to possibly expand the campaign, several Turkish and Syrian rebel sources said.
The F-16 jet raids happened in the last few days as Turkey and the YPG escalated tit-for-tat strikes that have killed civilians on both sides of the border, set off when Ankara said it was retaliating after a deadly Nov. 13 bombing in Istanbul.
While Turkey has conducted several large operations into northern Syria in recent years, it had used drones for many air strikes given that Washington, which is allied with the YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and Damascus-ally Moscow control much of the airspace.
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Turkey's reported use of Russian and U.S.-controlled airspace could indicate Ankara's increasing clout with Moscow and Washington. NATO member Turkey has conducted a diplomatic balancing act since Russia invaded Ukraine, criticising the invasion but opposing Western sanctions on Russia.Russia's defence ministry and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A Turkish defence ministry source said jets were never used in Syrian, Russian or U.S. airspace for the latest airstrikes on Kurdish militant bases in Syria, and that jets hit all targets from within Turkish airspace.
Yet a senior Turkish security official and two senior Syrian opposition figures in touch with the Turkish military told Reuters that jets flew into Syrian territory controlled by the U.S.-backed YPG and that Ankara was in particular in touch with Russia about this.
"Turkish jets used the airspace under the control of the United States and Russia. Some coordination was made with these two countries," the Turkish security official said.
"The Turks coordinated with the Russians and the Americans in the areas they have control over Syrian airspace," said Colonel Abduljabbar Akaidi, a senior Syrian opposition figure familiar with the latest developments.
Hande Firat, a prominent Turkish journalist with close links to government, separately wrote in the Hurriyet newspaper: "The USA and Russia, the two countries which control Syrian airspace, had to open the airspace" after the Istanbul attack.
Ankara said its weekend operation was retaliation for the bomb set off on a busy Istanbul avenue last week that killed six people, and which authorities blamed on the militants.
No one has claimed responsibility and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the SDF have denied involvement.
BACK TO BASES
Turkish artillery kept up bombardment of Kurdish bases and other targets in Syria on Tuesday, while Defence Minister Hulusi Akar called on the United States to halt support for the YPG.The United States allied with the YPG-led SDF in the fight against Islamic State in Syria's 11-year war, causing a deep rift with Turkey, which says YPG is a wing of the PKK. Turkey, the United States and others deem the PKK a terrorist group.
Washington has warned against military action that would destabilise Syria while Moscow has urged Ankara and other parties to show restraint.
But the commander of a Turkey-backed rebel faction and two Turkish sources said fighters from a coalition of armed Syrian opposition groups known as the Syrian National Army, allied with Ankara, have been asked to prepare for a potentially expanded operation.
"The Turks notified all the commanders who are on leave to return to their posts and those in Syria not to leave and also to raise their level of preparedness," the senior commander said under condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to publicly speak on this matter.
"They have not been assigned tasks nor is there a plan yet," he added.
The Turkish security source and a separate senior Turkish official said Syrian proxies have been readied, though no timetable had been set and no final decision has been made.
In May, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan vowed to launch an incursion into Syria, raising preparations among Syrian proxies, though no operation was launched. Erdogan said on Monday that the current air campaign could expand to a ground offensive.
The Istanbul bombing evoked memories of violence ahead of tense 2015 elections, and could lead to another security-focused campaign for Erdogan, ahead of tight elections next June.
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Writing by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Daren Butler, William Maclean/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/FOI3WD6N4VIYFJCUSJRLLPR57Q.jpg)
Turkey used U.S., Russian-controlled airspace in Syria strikes -sources
Turkey's warplanes crossed into Russian and U.S.-controlled airspace for the first time to attack the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, and it has rallied Syrian allies to possibly expand the campaign, several Turkish and Syrian rebel sources said.
www.reuters.com
jward
passin' thru
Jeff Seldin
@jseldin
BREAKING: US forces were about 300 meters from a joint counterterrorism base in #Hasakah, #Syria when a #Turkey airstrike hit Nov. 22, two sources, including a US defense official, tell @VOANews
View: https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1595512541471465472?s=20&t=5oB51hlqviDD2luaFx7IRQ
@jseldin
BREAKING: US forces were about 300 meters from a joint counterterrorism base in #Hasakah, #Syria when a #Turkey airstrike hit Nov. 22, two sources, including a US defense official, tell @VOANews
View: https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1595512541471465472?s=20&t=5oB51hlqviDD2luaFx7IRQ
Someone's going to eat a Stinger sooner rather than later if this keeps up....
jward
passin' thru
Turkey tells Russia it will continue to respond to attacks from northern Syria
1 minute read
November 24, 2022
7:21 AM CSTLast Updated 19 hours ago
ANKARA, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told his Russian counterpart in a call on Thursday that Ankara would continue responding to attacks from northern Syria, after Russia asked Turkey to refrain from a full-scale Syria offensive.
Akar told Sergei Shoigu that "Turkey's priority is to prevent the terrorism threat (from northern Syria) permanently," and said previous agreements on this issue need to be adhered to, the Turkish Defence Ministry said in a statement.
Senior Russian negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev on Wednesday said Turkey should refrain from a full-scale ground offensive in Syria, because such actions could trigger an escalation of violence.
/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/CEIPZW37J5I4RJ4U4R6F7IYVYE.jpg)
Turkey tells Russia it will continue to respond to attacks from northern Syria
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told his Russian counterpart in a call on Thursday that Ankara would continue responding to attacks from northern Syria, after Russia asked Turkey to refrain from a full-scale Syria offensive.
www.reuters.com
Zagdid
Veteran Member
Turkish strikes hit oil installations in northern Syria, sources say
Story by By Suleiman Al-Khalidi • Yesterday 6:50 AMAMMAN (Reuters) - Turkish drones are targeting key oil installations run by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria, three local sources said, in air strikes which drew strong condemnation from the United States overnight.
The SDF said dozens of people including 11 of its fighters were killed in the strikes, which mark the first time Turkey has systematically targeted oil fields in the SDF-controlled region.
Turkey's warplanes began conducting air strikes on Syrian Kurdish YPG militia bases in northern Syria at the weekend, prompting retaliatory strikes along the Syrian border.
The SDF, a U.S. partner in the fight against Islamic State, said Turkey had struck deeper into Syrian territory than in its previous operations. It said in a statement the strikes had killed 15 civilians and 25 Syrian government soldiers.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has promised to expand the operation and said Ankara would launch a land incursion at a time it judges convenient.
"The enemy aims to inflict big blows on our defence forces, especially our commanders and command centres ... In this way it prepares the ground for a ground offensive," said the SDF statement.
Ankara has already carried out three land incursions into Syria targeting Kurdish militias since 2016.
Turkey launched the air operations in retaliation for a deadly Nov. 13 Istanbul bomb attack that it blamed on the YPG militia, which spearheads the SDF. Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Nobody has claimed responsibility and the PKK and YPG have denied involvement.
The Turkish drones hit oil installations late on Wednesday near the Syrian town of Qamishli, as well as the oil-rich area Rumeilan, near which U.S. troops are located, according to three sources in the Syrian cities of Qamishli and Hasaka.
Turkey has also escalated drone strikes in the heart of urban areas, targeting senior YPG military officials, said the sources, who are in touch with SDF figures.
The Pentagon said the Turkish air strikes threatened the safety of U.S. military personnel and that the escalating situation jeopardized years of progress against Islamic State militants in the area.
The United States has roughly 900 soldiers in Syria, mainly working with the SDF in the northeast.
Asked about the Pentagon comment, a Turkish defence ministry source said Ankara "selects targets sensitively" and was in close contact with U.S. counterparts. The source said oil fields were not among Ankara's targets.
The PKK is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. U.S. support for the SDF has for years been a major source of tension in ties with its NATO ally Turkey.