Turkish SHORAD developments

Türkiye has embarked upon a comprehensive strategic endeavour to establish a robust indigenous air defence manufacturing capability. From the initial licensed production of Oerlikon twin cannons and Stinger missile components to the deployment of fully indigenous systems such as Korkut and Hisar-A+, this progress reflects Ankara’s long-standing ambition to achieve defence self-sufficiency. These developments now underpin what is increasingly referred to as Türkiye’s ‘Steel Dome’ – a multi-layered, integrated air defence architecture designed to protect against a broad spectrum of aerial threats. This article examines the platforms and technologies comprising this emerging defensive shield.

Earlier domestic air defence developments

Türkiye’s first experience with the production of air defence materiel came with the manufacture of the Oerlikon Contraves twin-20 mm GAI-D01 cannon, believed to have entered production in 1987 under licence with Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE). Sources suggest that, following a limited production run of approximately 42 units, it was determined that the 20 mm cannon lacked sufficient firepower. Consequently, a licence for the twin-35 mm GDF-003 cannon was sought from Oerlikon by MKE. Deliveries of the GDF-003 to the Turkish Army commenced in 1993.

Around the same period, Türkiye also secured a share in the production of the Stinger man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) under the European Common Stinger Production Consortium. Within this framework, Türkiye assumed responsibility for the rocket motor section of the missile. Of all consortium members, Türkiye held the largest workshare at 40.5%. To support this role, Roketsan was established as a joint-stock company, with other domestic firms, including Barış Savunma Endüstrisi and Kalekalıp, acting as subcontractors. Between 1988 and 2003, approximately 14,000 missiles were produced under the programme. This initiative also provided foundational expertise that enabled the future development of indigenous missile systems.

 

Further impetus for domestic missile production was provided by a 1999 agreement permitting the co-production of Rapier Mk 2B missiles for Türkiye and the United Kingdom. Just under 1,000 of these missiles were earmarked for Turkish use, replenishing the Rapier air defence systems procured in the mid-1980s.

In the early 2000s, a requirement emerged for a Low Altitude Air Defence System, intended to provide short-range air defence (SHORAD) to mobile units. In response, Aselsan developed the Atılgan and Zıpkın Pedestal Mounted Air Defence Systems (PMADS). These platforms were analogous to the turret on the AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, both utilising Stinger missiles in their MANPADS form. The Atılgan could carry and launch up to eight Stingers and was integrated onto the M113A2 armoured personnel carrier. The Zıpkın, a more compact system, accommodated four Stingers and featured a 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun for close-in defence. Both systems entered service to enhance SHORAD capabilities for Turkish mobile forces. Aselsan continued development and supplied a refined, four-missile variant of the PMADS known as ‘Stinger Weapon Platform’ to the Royal Netherlands Army in 2007, mounted on the Fennek.

Building upon its growing expertise in missile and radar technology – and aligned with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision for a sovereign defence industry – Türkiye, from the mid- to late-2000s, launched a series of programmes to equip its armed forces with domestic SHORAD capabilities. These included cannons, MANPADS, and surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. This article will examine the key systems and technologies developed in pursuit of this objective.

Cannon-based air defence

The vast majority of Türkiye’s cannon-based air defence developments, although with one or two exceptions, revolve around the venerable 35 mm GDF-003 design. As was previously mentioned, one of the earliest domestically-produced air defence systems was the GDF-003, which is still in use with Türkiye to this day. After a few earlier attempts in the 1990s to license a foreign product to replace the antiquated cTürkiye instead turned towards Aselsan to develop a domestic self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) platform in 2008.

Modernised towed anti-air system

One of the earlier improvements carried out domestically was the modernisation of the GDF-003 cannons. This appeared to include the upgrading of the cannons to the GDF-006 standard, allowing the cannons to fire programmable ammunition, the subsequent development of programmable air-burst ammunition, and the development of the X-band Kalkan 200-G aerial surveillance radar, mounted onto a towed carriage.

The most potent element of this modernisation was the development of the locally-designed ATOM programmable air-burst ammunition, analogous to Rheinmetall Air Defence’s AHEAD round. This increases the system’s lethality against smaller aerial targets such as small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Korkut

With development starting in mid-2008, and unveiled at the IDEF 2013 exhibition, Korkut is a family of two vehicles, comprising a dedicated command vehicle, and a SPAAG, with both based on the ACV-AD platform. Türkiye is understood to have 42 Korkut SPAAGs and 14 command vehicles in service.

The ACV-AD hull from FNSS resembles that of their ACV-19 armoured fighting vehicle, itself a derivative of the M113 design, but has been lengthened, with a gap between the third and fourth road wheels. In terms of dimensions, the vehicle measures around 7 m in length, 3.9 m in width, and 2.2 m in height up the hull roof. Importantly for off-road mobility, the vehicle is stated to be amphibious, although with propulsion in water derived from the tracks rather than a dedicated set of propellers or pump jets. The Korkut turret has also been mounted on wheeled platforms including the Arma 8×8 and most recently seen on the 8×8 Wahash produced by Calidus at the IDEX 2025 exhibition in Abu Dhabi.

 

Crewed by at least three personnel, the Korkut SPAAG offers a twin-cannon armament set comprising two MKE-produced GDF-003 35 mm cannons, with a combined fire control radar and optoelectronic sight for targeting. The armament uses an automatic linkless ammunition feed mechanism (ALAFM), which in turn allows two types of ammunition to be loaded at the same time and allows the gunner to change one types during operation. The armament allows the engagement of various targets up to ranges of 3-4 km. It should be noted that while effective, the use of a twin-cannon armament is a slightly dated approach, as many competing modern turret-only solutions aim to minimise weight and cost by only using a single cannon, relying on the higher effectiveness of air-burst munitions to compensate for the lower volume of fire.

As a part of the Korkut system, Aslesan offers the command vehicle, also based on the ACV-AD platform, that acts as a command and control (C2) node for a platoon of up to three Korkut SPAAGs. The command vehicle is armed only with a machine gun for self-defence, but possesses a search radar derived from the Kalkan 200-G, that offers a target detection range up to >70 km and includes an integrated identification friend-or-foe (IFF) system. This is complemented by an independent optoelectronic sight.

Ongoing developments; Burç, Göker, & Gürz

Roketsan unveiled a wheeled air defence system named Burç at IDEF 2023. Based on the FNSS Pars Scout 8×8 platform, the system integrates a combined gun-and-missile armament within a two-tonne turret. The primary weapon is a 20×102 mm, three-barrel Gatling-type cannon produced domestically by TR Mekatronik – the same model employed on the T129 ATAK attack helicopter. In addition to the cannon, the turret incorporates four Sungur MANPADS. The sensor suite comprises an optoelectronic sight and a Retinar active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar system developed by Meteksan. While the missile component offers engagement capabilities at ranges approaching 10 kms, the cannon is likely limited to a 1-2 km effective envelope. As of writing, the Burç has not received any confirmed procurement interest.

The Aselsan Göker system (also marketed as the Korkut 110/35S) is a lighter and more cost-effective alternative to the Korkut turret, employing a single 35 cannon on a turret with a base, and so able to be used as a static defence or mounted on a suitable truck platform. Notably, it is offered without an onboard fire-control radar, with targeting performed via an optoelectronic sight, which can be mounted either on the turret or provided as a standalone unit with its own telescopic mast – the latter allowing it to be mounted remotely from the turret. As with many similar systems in this class, such as BAE Systems’ Tridon Mk2, the system is reliant on external sensors such as radars for carrying out target search functions. A working prototype has not yet been publicly disclosed.

The Gürz is a truck-based self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and missile (SPAAGM) unveiled by Aselsan at IDEF 2023. The system used a 8×8 Tatra-derived Anadolu Savunma Seyit truck as the base platform and featured an unmanned turret hosting a diverse suite of weaponry. These include a single 35 mm cannon, alongside three types of missiles: the Hisar-A+ from Türkiye’s surface-to-air missile (SAM) inventory; the Göksur, believed to be a ground-launched variant of the Bozdoğan air-to-air missile; and the Sungur MANPADS. The vehicle incorporates four fixed AESA radar arrays positioned for full 360° coverage, as well as an integrated optoelectronic suite. At the time of writing, Gürz remains in the development phase.

Missile development

With experience gained from Stinger production, Türkiye began exploring the domestic design and production of a low-altitude short-range air defence systems in 2007. In 2011, Aselsan was selected with their Hisar-A design and testing began at the Lake Tuz firing range in late-2013. Türkiye has since expanded its SAM programme to include mid- to long-range systems, MANPADS, and air-to-air missiles repurposed for ground launch.

Hisar-A+

The development of the Hisar-A+ system spanned a full decade following the initial contract award in 2011. It is a mobile, short-range, missile-based air defence system designed to counter a wide range of aerial threats. The system can be mounted on the ACV-AD platform – also used for the Korkut – which accommodates up to four missiles alongside a collapsible, mast-mounted aerial surveillance radar. During transit, the missiles are stored in sealed canisters on the roof of the vehicle and are mechanically swivelled and lowered to the vehicle’s side prior to launch. Although somewhat unorthodox and mechanically complex, this arrangement is likely intended to preserve access to the ACV-AD’s rear ramp, which remains available for crew use.

An alternative, less sophisticated configuration is also offered on a 6×6 Mercedes-Benz truck or similar platform, as is done for the mid-range Hisar-O/O+ system. In this variant, the launch containers, which are stored horizontally during transport, are raised and lowered towards the immediate rear of the truck, where they are then positioned vertically for launch.

 

The Hisar-A+ missile features an advertised maximum range exceeding 15 km and an altitude envelope of over 10 km. It utilises a dual-pulse rocket motor, which expends its propellant in two distinct phases – the second phase providing added energy during the terminal stage of flight, particularly advantageous against fast-moving, manoeuvring targets. The missile is equipped with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker and a high-explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) warhead. The ‘+’ in Hisar-A+ designates the production variant, which incorporates a domestically developed seeker – likely aimed at reducing reliance on foreign-sourced components. While official sources have indicated that the system has entered service, this remains difficult to confirm through open-source reporting.

Sungur

The Sungur is the first MANPADS to be designed indigenously in Türkiye. Its development, launched in parallel with the Hisar missile family in 2013, was led by Roketsan – an appealing choice given the company’s prior experience in manufacturing rocket motors for the Stinger system.

Initial trials were conducted between 2018 and 2019 at the Sinop Firing Range on the Black Sea coast, using inert warheads. Live-fire testing followed in 2020, including a launch against a fixed aerial target situated 20 m above ground level at an undisclosed range. Serial production reportedly commenced in 2021, with the first batch of Sungur missiles delivered to the Turkish Army by mid-2022. As of yet, the system is not believed to have been exported.

Visually, the Sungur is typical in appearance for a MANPADS; however, Roketsan claims a maximum range of over 8 km and an altitude ceiling of 6 km – placing it among the longest-ranged systems in its class. The missile has also been integrated into a mobile SHORAD configuration using BMC Otomotiv’s 4×4 Vuran platform. This vehicle hosts a launcher accommodating up to four missiles and is equipped with a Star SAFIRE 380-HLD optoelectronic suite, enabling autonomous target acquisition and tracking. In its mobile configuration, the Sungur system is comparable in role to Thales’ recent RapidRanger mounted on a VAMTAC.

Emerging directed energy weapon concepts

Türkiye has also entered the field of mobile laser air defence with the development of the Gökberk system. Led by Aselsan, the programme has been under development for several years, with the first imagery emerging online in March 2025. The system is mounted on a 6×6 BMC truck and incorporates a >5 kW class laser, supported by both optoelectronic and radar-based detection and tracking. It also features soft-kill capabilities through the integration of the Kangal electronic jamming suite. While official range figures have not been disclosed, it is anticipated that Gökberk’s effective range is likely to fall below the 3 km mark, using the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems’ 10 kW Lite Beam as a benchmark.

Closing thoughts

Türkiye’s evolution in the SHORAD domain underscores a determined move towards sovereign air defence capability, reflecting both industrial maturity and strategic foresight. Systems such as Sungur, Korkut, and Hisar-A+ illustrate a comprehensive SHORAD solution, combining man-portable missiles, cannons, and short-range SAMs. Coupled with emerging directed-energy technologies like laser air defence weaponry, Türkiye is laying the foundation for an integrated air defence umbrella. Collectively, these developments will form the core of the self-described ‘Steel Dome’ – a concept that signifies not only layered air defence, but also Türkiye’s growing stature as a competitive player in the global arms industry.

Chris Mulvihill