The successful test flight of Türkiye’s first electronic warfare and radar aircraft, HAVA SOJ, and the results obtained by Bayraktar AKINCI SİHA with EREN ammunition, aroused wide repercussions in the global defense media. US-based The Defense Post, Next Gen Defense and Military Leak, and Italy-based The Aviationist publications covered the developments with detailed analysis. According to publications, Türkiye has moved to a global stage in the integration of air-based electronic warfare and unmanned air power.
NEW EŞİK AIR SOJ
According to the analysis of the Italy-based defense publication The Aviationist, the HAVA SOJ program was planned to consist of 4 platforms for the Turkish Air Force. In the system built on Bombardier Global 6000 business jets, the payload development process is carried out by ASELSAN, while TAI undertakes the integration task. According to the media outlet, the first flight was captured at TAI facilities in Ankara on March 1, 2026. According to analysis platform; It has the ability to listen, jam, suppress and mislead radar and communication systems without entering the threat area. In the evaluation article, it was stated that HAVA SOJ has a similar mission profile with the USA’s EA-37B Compass Call, France’s Archange and Australia’s MC-55A Peregrine platforms. Within the scope of the program, he also drew attention to ASELSAN’s electronic warfare solutions and the 18.9 million dollar contract signed with the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) in 2020.
THE POWER THAT CAN HIT WITHOUT SEEING
According to the analysis of US-based publications The Defense Post and Next Gen Defense, HAVA SOJ was defined as a platform that can neutralize radar and communication systems without entering enemy airspace. According to publications, the system uses both jamming and spoofing capabilities against traditional and modern networks. In the Next Gen Defense analysis, it was also stated that the platform can detect and monitor radar emissions with its multi-sensor structure, and that it plays the role of a “force multiplier” by working integrated with other air elements and unmanned systems. In the same analysis, it was shared that Türkiye aims to achieve full operational capability by the end of the year. It was emphasized that the program was not limited to aircraft production only, but also special hangars, fleet infrastructure and training centers were built.
SUPERIOR AIR-TO-AIR CAPABILITY
According to the analysis of the US-based Military Leak defense media outlet, the Bayraktar AKINCI SİHA successfully destroyed an airborne target in the test it carried out with the EREN high-speed, multi-purpose, guided ammunition. According to the analysis, the test was evaluated as an important step towards AKINCI’s air-to-air mission capability. The platform, which has previously carried out similar tests with the KEMANKEŞ-1 mini cruise missile, has gained multi-role operational capability with a wide range of ammunition such as MAM-L, MAM-T, TOLUN, HGK-82, KGK-82 and ÇAKIR.
TURKISH RISE IN THE GLOBAL MARKET
According to the common emphasis of international defense publications Türkiye has become one of the most dynamic actors of global competition in the field of electronic warfare, unmanned aerial vehicles and integrated combat systems. The Defense Post emphasized that the platforms developed by Türkiye have network-centric warfare capability at NATO standards and can work integrated with different systems. It was also stated in the analysis that platforms such as HAVA SOJ and AKINCI constitute an alternative to US and European-based manufacturers in the global defense market.
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