The Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced the delivery of new domestically developed defense systems to the Armed Forces. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) BAHA and the SUNGUR missiles have been officially integrated into the Land Forces Command’s inventory.
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During the weekly press conference, Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk, spokesperson for the ministry, emphasized that national defense industry products are enhancing the capabilities of Turkish forces. “The opportunities and capabilities of our Armed Forces are continuously strengthening with technologies developed by our national defense industry,” he stated.
SUNGUR: Next-Generation Portable Air Defense
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Developed by Roketsan based on the HİSAR and Stinger projects, the SUNGUR missile is classified as a fourth-generation MANPADS (Man-Portable Air-Defense System). It features an IIR (Imaging Infrared) seeker head, enabling higher accuracy against moving targets.
With a maximum range of 8 km and an altitude range between 4 and 4.5 km, SUNGUR offers 360-degree firing capability and operates both day and night. The system can be integrated into land vehicles and is designed for various operational scenarios.
In addition to being in service with Turkish forces, SUNGUR has been contracted for export to at least two countries.
BAHA: Tactical UAV Resistant to Electronic Warfare
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The BAHA UAV, produced by HAVELSAN with a 90% nationalization rate, was designed for reconnaissance and surveillance missions even under adverse conditions. Equipped with a long-range electro-optical sensor and anti-jamming GNSS technology, BAHA can operate in environments with active electronic warfare.
The system can reach up to 15,000 feet altitude, has an endurance of 6 hours with a gasoline engine (or 2 hours with an electric motor), an operational range of 80 km, and can carry up to 5 kg of payload. With a wingspan of 3.7 meters, it can be assembled by two people and operated by a single user within minutes.
Both systems were officially incorporated into the arsenal after passing inspection and acceptance phases.
Source and images: X @SavunmaSanayiST / Turkish Ministry of National Defense (MSB). This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
