Turkish army uses indigenous ‘NEB’ in op into northern Syria, Iraq

ISTANBUL

Turkish army hit the “dens of terrorists” in the Operation Claw-Sword into northern Syria and northern Iraq with homemade “NEB” (Penetrating Bomb).

“It has different features compared to other bombs as it is used in strategic and critical targets such as bunkers and ammunition depots,” said Gürcan Okumuş, the head of the Defense Industries Research and Development Institute for the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), calling it “a bomb within a bomb.”

“It can penetrate places protected by thick walls it can show full effectiveness towards the inner sides with its thermobolic effect as it has a very high devastating effect,” Okumuş said, explaining the name of the bomb.

The bomb has a sequential penetrating warhead feature, which enables it to have a penetrating effect at the point where it touches the hard target, Okumuş said. “It has the ability to drill over two meters of reinforced concrete.”

It is a critical ammunition that very few countries in the world have, he elaborated, noting that it is a strategic product that can be used in F-16s with different precision guidance kits.

The NEB, which is just over 2.5 meters long and weighs more than a ton together with its kit; two can be carried aboard both the F-4s and the F-16s.

It will be used in UAVs, he said. “All ammunition can be used from different platforms according to their carrying capacity. First, we develop ammunition for the F-4, F-16, [Bayraktar] TB-2 and other UAVs in our inventory.”

Bayraktar TB2 is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE), capable of conducting Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and armed attack missions.

The drone holds the record in Turkish aviation history for endurance, with 27 hours and three minutes, and for an altitude at 25,030 feet.

It has become the most talked-about drone due to its success in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and other parts of the world.