Domestic air defense system to roll out soon

ANKARA

The indigenously developed long-range air defense system is expected to start serving in the coming days to protect Türkiye’s airspace, along with the Russian S-400s, as it has completed its final tests.

In an accord for a national defense system project named Siper, Defense Industries Presidency (SSB) signed a partnership deal with leading defense company Aselsan, rocket producer Roketsan and the Defense Research and Development Institute (SAGE) of the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TÜBİTAK) in early 2018.

Siper’s first batch, with a range of 110 kilometers, is expected to be delivered to the Turkish forces in the coming days as its final tests were carried out in the northern province of Sinop on May 11. The second batch of the system expected to have a range of over 130 kilometers is planned to be included in the inventory next year.

The Siper will have the ability to provide long-range air defense of strategic facilities, close and distant deployment, multiple engagements, sequential firing and missions in harsh weather conditions.

The domestic system, which can be transported by land, air, sea and rail, is capable of multi-tactical data link integration with top command and can connect with radar network management system (RADNET) and air force information system (HvBS).

It is planned to operate with eight missile launch mechanisms, each of which can fire six missiles.

Türkiye deployed the first batch of the Russian S-400 air defense missile systems in mid-2019, which triggered sanctions from the U.S., including the country’s exclusion from the F-35 joint fighter program. The Russian system can harm the NATO alliance through its ability to detect detailed information about F-35 jets, the U.S. claims.