Turkey successfully tested its medium-range air defense system HISAR O+ from an autonomous missile launching system in Aksaray Shooting Range, the country’s Defense Ministry announced this weekend.
The missile system was developed by Turkish defense companies Aselsan and Roketsan and is now ready to enter service.
“Our national air defense missile system hit the high-altitude high-speed target in the last acceptance test before entering the inventory,” Ismail Demir, the head of Turkey’s Defense Industries Presidency, said in a tweet.
Savunma sanayiimiz bir başarıya daha imza attı!
Milli hava savunma füze sistemimiz #HİSAR O+ envantere giriş öncesi son kabul atışında yüksek irtifadaki yüksek hızlı hedefi imha etti.
HİSAR O+ artık bütün unsurlarıyla tam kapasite görevinin başında. Şanlı ordumuza hayırlı olsun pic.twitter.com/ypo4n7UQVx
— İsmail Demir (@profismaildemir) December 26, 2021
The system features a 360-degree defense capability and can simultaneously engage a minimum of nine separate targets. It is effective against fighter jets, helicopters, air-to-surface missiles, and drones.
The HISAR O+ can intercept targets at a range up to 25 kilometers (15.5 miles). It can detect, track, and identify threats, autonomously performing command and fire control functions.
In March, the country completed a test firing of the mid-range air defense system, the most extended range and the highest altitude test conducted to date. In July, the government announced that the system was ready to enter mass production.
Turkey’s Missile Development
In May, Turkey tested its HISAR A+. This short-range air defense missile system can protect military bases, ports, facilities, and troops against aerial threats.
The country is now equipped with two surface-to-air missile systems in the HISAR family: the mid-range HISAR O+ and the HISAR A+ capable of hitting targets up to 15 kilometers (9.3 miles).
Last month, Turkey also test-fired its high-altitude, long-range air and missile defense system SIPER.
HISAR to Rival S-400 Missiles?
With its development of missile defense systems, Turkey is getting closer to acquiring an air defense system that could emerge as an alternative to Russia’s S-400 and the US Patriot air defense systems.
Russia and Turkey signed a $2.5 billion contract for four battalions of the S-400 air defense system in 2017, a deal that led to sanctions from the US.
The country also failed to procure American-made Patriot missiles after multiple attempts.
