Turkey has successfully test-fired its high-altitude long-range air-defense missile system, Siper, Ismail Demir, the head of Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), tweeted Saturday.
Different tests of the domestic air-defense system, which is planned to enter the army's inventory in 2023, will continue, he said, adding: Turkey will continue to produce new weapons and will have up to six different air-defense systems.
Besides Siper, which is expected to rival Russia's S-400, the Korkut, Sungur and Hisar air-defense systems are also in place, systems set to outline a layered air defense for the country, as mentioned several times by the officials.
TAI completes production of 1st part of 5th-gen combat aircraft
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has produced the first part of its National Combat Aircraft (MMU), a long-awaited domestic defense-industry project, Temel Kotil, CEO of TAI, has tweeted.
The aircraft will be comprised of nearly 20,000 parts and production is likely to be completed by the end of 2022.
The MMU will be unveiled for the first time on March 18, 2023, and will make its maiden flight in 2026, Sabah daily said.
The TF-X MMU is a fifth-generation jet with similar features to Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II. The domestically built aircraft is being developed to replace the Turkish air force's F-16 fighters as they are gradually phased out throughout the 2030s.
Turkey's local air-defense system hits target in longest range test
On March 9, 2021, Turkey's Hisar-O+ medium-range air-defense system successfully completed a test firing, which was the longest range and the highest altitude test conducted in the country to date.
Ismail Demir, head of the Defense Industries Presidency (SSB), said in a Twitter message that after the delivery of the Hisar-A+ short-range air-defense system, which is the upgraded version of Hisar-A, now that the Hisar-O+, the upgraded version of Hisar-O, has successfully passed the test by destroying an air target by hitting it directly.
The Hisar-O+ system, which was developed with local resources, will be part of the country's layered air defense. The air-defense system is expected to destroy all kinds of air threats created by fixed and rotary winged aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and air-to-surface missiles in adverse weather conditions.
The state-of-the-art technology has the capability to detect targets, track, identify and perform command and control, and fire- control functions autonomously, according to Sabah daily.
Turkey advances toward 'fully independent' defense industry
Turkey's defense industry has initiated pivotal projects in recent years under the leadership of the Presidency of Defenses Industries (SSB), covering huge ground on its mission to cut the country's dependency on others and become a major competitor among the world's largest arms exporters.
SSB head Ismail Demir, speaking on the 36th anniversary of the SSB's establishment, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the institution became an official state body during the Republican era after the country faced many internal and external obstacles.
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