Why it matters:
The crash of one of Turkey's key fighter aircraft raises questions about operational safety as the country maintains one of NATO's largest air forces.
The latest:
Radio and radar contact with the jet was lost shortly after midnight following takeoff from the 9th Main Jet Base in Balikesir province, according to a defense ministry statement.
Search teams quickly located the wreckage near the Istanbul-Izmir highway, with debris scattered across a wide area.
Security forces, firefighters, and medical teams were dispatched to the scene.
The ministry confirmed the pilot was "martyred" in the incident.
What's next:
An accident inquiry team has been assigned to investigate the cause, which remains undetermined.
Between the lines:
The F-16 remains the backbone of Turkey's air force, though the country has recently sought to upgrade its fleet amid regional tensions and its disputed purchase of Russian S-400 systems.
Hossein Amiri - ahmad shirzadian
