March 27 Newsletter
Suralp Weapon Location Radar on Duty
The Turkish Defence Industry continues to meet Turkiye’s requirements with domestic capabilities. In this context, a surprise product was recently detected on duty. In the images reflected in the press, ASELSAN’s Suralp Weapon Location Radar was seen. Thus, it was confirmed that the product, which had not been officially announced before, was being actively used.
?Suralp was developed to detect RAM (Rocket-Artillery-Mortar) group threats. The solution, an indigenous product of ASELSAN, offers the user operational effectiveness up to 250 kilometres depending on ambient and terrain conditions. Thanks to its ability to be integrated into the radar network, the system can be used locally or as part of a layered structure. This, of course, brings flexibility with it.
Another important feature of the radar, as in all similar solutions, is its ability to calculate the flight trajectory of the detected ammunition and determine the firing coordinates with high precision. Suralp’s multi-target tracking capability protects the user against threats that may come from different directions.
With this step, Turkiye has reached the capability to establish its own “Iron Dome”. Although it has been late in the field of air defence missiles, a good pace has been achieved, and qualified products have been developed. Command and control systems developed by local contractors are also successfully operating within the Turkish Armed Forces. The effective range achieved with Suralp is sufficient for a domestic analogue of Israel’s RAM interceptor system, which has become more popular recently. At this point, Turkiye needs to reduce the costs a little more, provide the necessary integration, test it under real combat conditions and put it on the market. The resulting product will inevitably find buyers in a short time.
It is known that Turkiye started its journey in this area with foreign products. The fact that the Turkish Defence Industry has been able to develop a Suralp-level capability from scratch in a relatively short period compared to many countries that are advanced in the field is an important indicator of the country’s potential. When the ability to tailor the acquired capability in line with user requirements is combined with the low-cost-high quality parity of Turkish products, it is obvious that an important export potential is shining brightly.
Aselsan Ahmet Akyol #radar
Turkiye is the 11th Biggest Arms Exporter
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute SIPRI published last year’s arms export data. According to the document, Turkiye has become the 11th largest arms exporter in the world. At this point, the Turkish defence industry’s ability to procure high-quality products that meet NATO standards at relatively lower costs and with shorter deadlines plays a major role.
When the list is observed, it cannot be said that the ranking is not very stable. Changing security perceptions following Russia’s attempt to invade Ukraine, the warming of the waters in the Far East, and the addition of Africa to the never-ending turmoil in the Middle East can be considered as an increase in production and sales, which brings more opportunities to relatively new actors such as Turkiye. Of course, as in every conflict, the U.S., the largest arms exporter, is rising. France, which although has significantly lost its potential market in Africa, is also on a surprising rise. Russia’s decline due to the war was expected. Germany, which has recently been on the agenda with problems in terms of high cost and reliability; the U.K., which has issues in upgrading capacity due to labour and employment problems; Spain, which has lost important customers; and Israel due to the events in Gaza are in a downward trend. A similar situation is also valid for China. It is even known that the Royal Navy has “compulsorily” retired two Type 23 frigates due to the shortage of personnel.
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Thanks to its significant sales successes in Europe in recent years, Korea has been on an upward trend. However, the orders received fill the country’s production lines, and the deadlines will inevitably be extended. At this point, Turkiye has a clear path to take, as it has realised its significant potential with domestic products. The fact that the positions of these six countries are not guaranteed is an important opportunity for Turkiye to move up to the top 10 and push for the top 5. Suppose the Turkish Defence Industry, which has an important opportunity in terms of the First League, makes good use of its capability and cost advantages. In that case, significant gains are at the door. In addition, Sweden, which has been accepted into NATO, is likely to increase its sales, partly due to Russia. In addition, the country’s public support for armament is around 82 per cent.
At this point, Ankara must read the situation well and seize the opportunities to move the Turkish Defence Industry and its subsidiaries into the league of world-class giants in terms of economy, industry, and prestige.
Is NATO Turning to Turkiye Again?
The United States has been keeping its distance from Turkiye for some time. There is a sign of moderation in the cool waters between the two largest countries regarding capacity in NATO.
During the ambiguous relationship between Ankara and Washington, Türkiye made significant investments in the defence industry. Today, the fruits of the steps are being reaped. Due to the war in Ukraine, the stocks of many conventional weapons in both Europe and the United States have decreased to a critical level, which will return to their previous levels within two years at the earliest. In this very process, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s complimentary words for the Turkish Defence Industry came to the fore.
As it is known, many countries gave large amounts of weapons and ammunition to the defenders after Russia’s invasion attempt in Ukraine. This is where the Turkish Defence Industry comes into play. Especially when it is obvious that many manufacturers cannot keep up, and production lines are not very dense. Low-cost, quality products that meet NATO standards began to make Turkiye more attractive. Although the situation seems like the loss of an important market for the U.S., on the other hand, there are security concerns about the North Atlantic Pact.
When the current data are considered, Stoltenberg’s statement can be considered a harbinger of an important opportunity for Turkiye and the Defence industry.
NATO #defence #ukraine