The Turkish Ministry of Defence has recently announced that the Gökdemir launch system will soon enter into its defence inventory. This air defence system is developed by the national defence industry company of the country Aselsan, in cooperation with the Scientific and Technological Research Institute of Turkey(TÜBİTAK).
The Gökdemir system is one of the most important elements of the multi-layered Turkish national air defence project or Iron Dome which aims to protect Turkish airspace from any potential threat. Gökdemir will be used to launch air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles, at medium ranges and altitudes.
The system will also provide operational flexibility to perform air and missile defence missions against potential air threats in a short time. It can be equipped with 8 or 12 air-to-air missiles of the national model “Gökdoğan”, which entered service last month.
According to the website of Aselsan, the manufacturer of the launch system, it will intercept various potential air threats such as warplanes, helicopters, armed and unarmed drones, cruise missiles, and air-to-ground missiles.
The first test of the launch system was conducted in June 2022. It proved successful in its ability to deploy and fire in a short time and destroy potential threats at a 360-degree angle, thanks to its rotating structure.
“Gökdemir” is a crucial element in the Turkish National Multi-Layered Air Defense Project “Iron Dome”, which aims to fully protect Turkish airspace. It has several features and characteristics which make it a qualitative leap in the field of air defence industries.
At the forefront of these features is its high mobility and flexibility, as it is a portable and mobile air defence system. It can be instantly deployed and repositioned on the battlefield. The system is also designed to be installed on a variety of platforms, to adapt to different operating scenarios.
The system also has a multi-layered defence capability, as it can work in an integrated manner with other air defence systems, especially when used with systems such as HISAR, it creates a multi-layered defense network.
Gökdemir is equipped with radar and electro-optical sensors which detect and track targets with high accuracy even in low visibility conditions. GÖKDEMIR is primarily used to protect airspace in strategically important areas and critical infrastructure, including military bases, border areas and cities. The system will remain on constant alert for short- and medium-range threats to thwart attacks.
The multi-target launch system, which was first showcased last year at the IDEF Defense Industry Fair in July 2023, will also be able to detect, track and neutralize multiple targets simultaneously, which is a decisive advantage especially in cases of intensive attack.
The Iron Dome project, of which Gökdemir is a part, is a qualitative leap in Turkey’s defence capabilities. It is not just a traditional air defence system, but an integrated network of radars, missiles and electronic warfare systems working in unique harmony.
The network will be equipped with artificial intelligence, air defence weapon systems, radar, electro-optical sensors, communications units, and command and control stations. It will be able to detect, track and destroy a wide range of air targets with high accuracy and speed, from fighter jets to ballistic missiles and drones.
Turkey relied on local capabilities in developing warning and monitoring systems in its construction of the Iron Dome system. Aselsan is one of the leading companies in this field, and a backbone of the Iron Dome project.
[TRT Arabi]
Compiled and translated by Faizul Haque