Turkey kicks off plans for local laser weapon

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

This file photo of a laser weapon system developed by the US Navy for installation to the naval ships is taken from the website of the institution.

Turkey is looking to develop a national laser weapon system with the support of Turkey’s science watchdog, TÜBİTAK, the Science and Industry Ministry said.

“These kind of projects will be completed within five years,” Science and Industry Minister Nihat Ergün said yesterday speaking to press after an event.

“There are countries developing this [laser weapon system], the United States being at the top, and there are others doing research into it. Turkey is a country that can own these types of weapons on its own conditions,” Ergün said.

Russia, China and Israel and Germany are reportedly undertaking studies to develop technology similar to the LaWS introduced by the U.S. Navy.

Ergün said Turkey had kicked off attempts for research and development of the weapon as TÜBİTAK announced it would back high-cost defense industry projects. The serial production of the system may be determined depending on the needs of the Turkish Army at that time, he said.