Turkish defense firm introduces high-tech radar that enhances country’s combat aircraft

By Muhammed Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - Aselsan, a leading defense technology company in Türkiye, introduced its cutting-edge AESA Aircraft Nose Radar technology Tuesday which was developed entirely using domestic resources.

The AESA Aircraft Nose Radar, which recently completed its maiden flight with the F-16 OZGUR, promises to enhance combat aircraft capabilities significantly.

The radar will elevate the F-16 OZGUR platform to a 4.5 generation aircraft, while the KAAN fighter jet and combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will advance to fifth generation and beyond platforms with additional capabilities and low-visibility features.

Preparations for mass production of the radar at Aselsan's technology hub in Ankara have been finalized, ensuring flawless production from chip-level manufacturing to state-of-the-art integration.

In addition to integration with combat aircraft like the F-16 OZGUR platform, HURJET and KAAN, the AESA technology will be deployed in Türkiye's AKINCI and ANKA-3 UAVs.

The AESA Aircraft Nose Radar will soon begin flying with AKINCI and other Turkish UAVs, with flights expected to commence within the year.

- $5 billion global market

Haluk Gorgun, president of the Defense Industry Agency (SSB), expressed pride in bringing AESA radar technology to Türkiye.

"We are proud to introduce AESA radar technology, one of the world's most advanced avionics technologies, to our country," he said.

SSB, established by the government, manages Türkiye's defense industry and military technology supply.

Aselsan CEO Ahmet Akyol highlighted the versatility of AESA technology, emphasizing its application across various domains including air, land and sea.

He noted that Aselsan's indigenous development of AESA radar systems allows Türkiye to maintain full control over technology and data, ensuring the highest level of security and capabilities.

The global market size for the fighter aircraft AESA Nose Radar is estimated at $5 billion annually, with ongoing export negotiations positioning Aselsan radars as pivotal players in the global aerospace market.

Aselsan's high-tech AESA radars are expected to increase market share in the air defense, naval platforms and surveillance radar domains.

The radar, essential for air vehicles, offers automatic recognition, multi-target tracking, ground mapping, distance measurement, automatic altitude determination, under-cloud surveillance with SAR, automatic target limitation with AI-supported algorithms, broadband radar spectrum monitoring, directional electronic jamming and enhanced ammunition guidance.

The F-16 OZGUR Project is a national project that aims to modernize the Turkish Air Force's F-16 Block 30 aircraft.