According to the analysis of the US-based C4ISR and Naval News, one of the respected maritime publications, Turkey entered a simultaneous transformation process in air-sea warfare technologies with the test in which the jet-powered unmanned warplane Kızılelma successfully hit a beyond-visual air target and the phase of integrating ASELSAN’s mass-produced aselBUOY sonobuoy system into unmanned platforms. In the analysis, it was emphasized that the combination of manned-unmanned common combat architecture and underwater acoustic detection capabilities within the same defense ecosystem made Türkiye among the limited number of countries that developed multi-layered operational capacity.
ARM FLIGHT WITH F-16
According to the news of C4ISR, known for its closeness to the Pentagon in the USA, the fifth prototype of the jet-powered unmanned combat aircraft (ISU) Kızılelma, developed by Baykar, was launched off the coast of Sinop on November 29. In the test, it directly hit a beyond-visual air target with a Gökdoğan missile. It was reported that sensors and electronics produced by ASELSAN were used in the test, and the missile was developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE. It was reported that on the same mission, five F-16 warplanes, taking off from the 5th Main Jet Base Command in Merzifon, performed a column flight with Kızılelma and the manned-unmanned joint air combat concept was tested in the field.
NEW ERA IN AVIATION
In the C4ISR analysis, Kızılelma’s beyond-visual target engagement was evaluated as a critical threshold in the transition to advanced air combat architectures. In the analysis article, the development was interpreted as “the beginning of a new era in Türkiye’s aviation history”. According to the technical evaluations of international defense publications, Kızılelma; It is positioned as a multi-role platform that can be used in air-air and air-ground missions with its low radar signature, high maneuverability, artificial intelligence-supported mission computer and different ammunition configurations.
SECRET PROJECT REVEALED
According to the analysis of Naval News, one of the respected publications of the maritime industry, ASELSAN is preparing to carry out the first real-fire tests of the AselBUOY sonobuoy system, which it has been developing in great secrecy for nearly ten years, via unmanned aerial vehicle. According to the information obtained by the publication The first production contract for the system was signed with the Turkish Naval Forces Command and the mass production process was started. Within the scope of the contract, an acoustic data center that will analyze the acoustic signatures of submarines and surface platforms is being established in cooperation with the Turkish Navy.
LOW COST DEFENSE
According to Naval News analysis, aselBUOY 100P, developed in NATO A-size standards; It has a length of 915 millimeters, a diameter of 120 millimeters and a weight of 10 kilograms. The system operates in the 5-2400 Hz frequency band and can be deployed at depths of 30 to 150 meters. The collected acoustic data can be transmitted up to 20 kilometers. The system, whose operating time can be programmed between 30 minutes and 8 hours, self-destructs at the end of the task and leaves no trace. Designed to be launched from multiple platforms The integration of sonobuoy into UCAVs and UAVs provides lower-cost submarine defense compared to maritime patrol aircraft.
INTEGRATED DEFENSE ECOSYSTEM
According to the evaluations of international defense media, especially C4ISR and Naval News, Türkiye; It has reached the stage of establishing an integrated defense ecosystem in unmanned aerial systems, artificial intelligence-supported sensor technologies and underwater acoustic warfare solutions. Analyzes emphasize that Türkiye’s foreign dependency has decreased as the rate of domestic production has increased.
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