ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s first indigenous, low-altitude air and anti-missile system, Hisar-A, has successfully passed field tests and is ready for production, top Turkish officials said.
In parallel statements Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and top procurement official Ismail Demir said the government would place an order for the serial production of Hisar-A.
The system is expected to be delivered to the army in 2021. The autonomous system is co-produced by military-electronics specialist Aselsan and missile maker Roketsan.
Aselsan, the prime contractor, has developed all radar, fire-control, command-and-control and communication systems for the program while Roketsan has acted as the executive subcontractor.
The Hisar-A system provides protection against all kinds of airborne targets thanks to its vertical launch capability. The system is mounted on a self-propelled armored vehicle and can be fully autonomous by means of 3D radar, an electro-optic sensor suite, and fire control.
It will provide protection for military bases, ports, airports and mobile troops. The system targets fixed- and rotor-wing aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and air-to-ground missiles.
Aselsan and Roketsan are also developing Hisar-O, the system’s medium-altitude version. Hisar-O is expected to enter the Turkish military’s inventory in 2022.
Hisar-O is composed of one battalion headquarters and three batteries, each of which has a sufficient amount of launchers, missiles, radars, command-control and communication systems and other support equipment.
When combined, Hisar-A and Hisar-O will destruct threats at low and medium altitudes. The Hisar program involves the development and production of two types of ground systems, self-propelled armored and wheeled vehicle mounted air defense missile systems, and the missile.
Turkey’s procurement officials hope to export Hisar-A after it enters the Turkish inventory. “Potential export markets are friendly states,” said one procurement official. “They may include Azerbaijan, Qatar, Pakistan and some of the Central Asian republics.”
Burak Ege Bekdil was the Turkey correspondent for Defense News.
