Aselsan Unveils Four New Air Defense Systems For at IDEF 2023
At the 16th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2023) in Istanbul, ASELSAN, a defense company affiliated with the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV), held a launch ceremony for four new air defense products. The ceremony was attended by Turkish Defense Industry President Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, ASELSAN General Manager Ahmet Akyol, TÜBİTAK SAGE President Gürcan Okumuş, and ASELSAN board members.
The first of the products unveiled by the company was the GÜRZ Hybrid Air Defense System. The company’s first product was the GÜRZ Hybrid Air Defense System. GÜRZ, according to Aselsan, is an innovative air and missile defense system with multiple interceptors against very low and low altitude air threats. This new Air and Missile Defense System will protect both fixed facilities and in-transit convoys from threats such as UAVs, helicopters, and airborne munitions. Mounted on an 8×8 armored wheeled platform, GÜRZ consists of components such as a 35-millimeter air defense gun, 8 low altitude air defense missiles, 4 active electronically scanned array (AESA) search radars, a fire control radar, electro-optical sensors, and data link.
Another product unveiled for the first time was the air defense system GÖKSUR, produced for naval platforms. Developed as the equivalent of the US-made RIM-116 RAM System in Turkish Navy Ada class corvettes, GÖKSUR is a short-range, close-range air defense system. Three different configurations will be offered to adapt to changing threat conditions due to the modular design of this new system, which will be able to detect and neutralize various threats such as anti-ship missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles, aircraft, and helicopters. The system will employ 12 IIR guided BOZDOĞAN-DH missiles developed by the Defense Industry Research and Development Institute of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK-SAGE) as interceptor missiles. The GÖKSUR Close Air Defense Missile System, according to the company, has a number of features, including 360-degree threat destruction capability, the ability to intercept multiple targets, standalone and/or platform integrated operation, intermediate guidance with data link, and high single launch interception possibility.
The GÖKBERK Mobile Laser Weapon System is another of ASELSAN’s new solutions that will contribute to Turkey’s air defense. The GÖKBERK Mobile Laser Weapon System stands out as a weapon system that can search, detect, and track UAVs with radar and electro-optical sensors, as well as physically neutralize threats with a laser weapon with a power of at least 5kW and functionally neutralize them by jamming with the Kangal jammer subsystem. The GÖKBERK weapon system is compatible with all 6×6 wheeled vehicle platforms. Ground and naval platforms, power plants, airports, border posts, headquarters structures, and routes for convoy crossing are planned as the GÖKBERK system’s priority use zones. In the near future, the company also plans to increase the power of current platforms and develop Modular Laser Weapons Towers that will be integrated into air defense systems with distributed architecture.
The GÖKDEMİR medium altitude air defense system was the last item the company launched in the field of air defense. The GÖKDEMİR Launch System mounted on the SEYİT carrier vehicle will be used to launch the GÖKDOĞAN missile, which was developed by TÜBİTAK-SAGE and updated in accordance with air defense requirements, during air and missile defense missions against threats from aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, cruise and air-to-ground missiles. By integrating with the ASELSAN Fire Control Device, the GÖKDEMİR Launch System successfully completed its first test-fire in June 2022. According to the company, GÖKDEMİR, which can be prepared and deployed in a very short amount of time, has features such as 360-degree threat neutralization capability with its rotating turret structure, multiple engagement and sequential firing, intermediate stage guidance with data link, missile loading platform and crane system, multi-use canister, and wired/wireless communication.
In a statement on the subject, Turkish Defense Industry President Görgün congratulated all ASELSAN employees who contributed to the development of air defense systems, saying, “Air defense systems are one of the priority issues in the whole world. We have made significant progress in air defense in recent years… We have developed products in every layer of layered air defense systems. As you are aware, our SİPER test-fires continue to go well. Hopefully, they will be accepted this year. Each project today has been developed to meet the need for different platforms of the layered air defense system. While enjoying the advantage of having these systems as a country, our support to friendly and allied countries will continue.”