Roketsan Successfully Conducted The First Test Firing of the LEVENT Point Defense Missile System
The LEVENT point defense missile system, developed by Roketsan in line with the requirements of the Turkish Naval Forces Command, successfully conducted its first live test firing. The test, which represents an important step in Turkey’s vision of a “fully independent defense industry,” coincided with the decision of Germany and the United States to lift the embargo on the RIM-116 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) air defense system, which had been imposed on Ankara for a long time, and the resumption of sales.
Roketsan did not make an official statement about the test launch, instead sharing the relevant images in a post on the X platform. In the short video, which lasts approximately 50 seconds, it is seen that the Levent system is equipped with phased array AESA radar and electro-optical sensors. Then, there are moments when the missile is fired toward the predetermined target. However, the clip does not include the parts where the missile reaches the target and successfully destroys it. Despite this, the test-firing was deemed to be successful.
Levent is a Point Defence Missile System (PDMS) developed by Roketsan to replace the RIM-116 RAM systems used by the Turkish Navy on MİLGEM ADA Class Corvettes, whose launchers are supplied from Germany and missiles from the USA. The system, which was first introduced at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) held in Istanbul in 2021, enables platforms of all cargoes, from warships to aircraft carriers, to defend themselves against Anti-Ship Missiles (ASM), helicopters, aircraft, UAVs, and surface targets.
These systems have an 11-cell launcher and use the Levent air defense missile developed on the SUNGUR Portable Air Defence Missile. The missile has a diameter of 128 mm, weighs 70 kg, and has a range of 11 kilometers. It also uses a dual-mode seeker consisting of a Passive RF and an Imaging Infrared Seeker (IIR).
LEVENT is expected to be ready to enter the inventory quickly by completing its test activities in the upcoming period. In this process, it is evaluated that different system configurations will also be developed.