ASELSAN's New Solution Against Drone Threats: GÖKALP Takes the Stage

ASELSAN introduced the new fighter drone system GÖKALP, which works with the direct hit technique. Details of the system and its test performance in the field are in our news.

ASELSAN, one of the leading companies of the Turkish defense industry, introduced the GÖKALP UAV Interception System, developed against mini and micro unmanned aerial vehicles, which have become one of the most critical threats in the modern warfare field. The system, which neutralized the enemy drone by hitting it directly in the air in the firing tests carried out at the Oğulbey Technology Base, opens the door to a new era in air defense with its mobile structure integrated into the vehicle and its cost-effective approach.

Destroys the target by hitting it in the air: Direct Hit (Hit-to-Kill) Capability

Recent conflict dynamics clearly show that shooting down low-cost kamikaze drones with conventional air defense missiles is not sustainable. ASELSAN is focusing on the fighter drone concept to reverse this situation. After detecting the threatening UAVs, GÖKALP launches its own fighter drone onto the target and destroys them with a direct hit-to-kill method in the air.

The integrated operating architecture of the system worked completely in the demo activity held in Oğulbey. The process started with the detection of the threat drone by the AURA radar as soon as it took off. The instantaneous telemetry and location data obtained were transmitted to the operations center via ASELSAN's domestic command and control software, DRONEDEF. The GÖKALP E1 interceptor drone, which was launched after the target determination, caught the target in the air with its autonomous guidance ability and neutralized it with direct contact.

GÖKALP System Components and Featured Features

AURA Radar: Detects and tracks small targets flying at low altitude and with a low radar cross-section with high precision.

Electro-Optical Systems: Confirms radar data with visual contact and monitors the target uninterruptedly in day and night conditions.

DRONEDEF Command and Control: Autonomously calculates the most appropriate prevention scenario by analyzing the direction, speed and route of the threat.

GÖKALP E1 Interceptor Drone: It destroys the target by directly hitting it with its high agility and autonomous tracking ability.

Mobile Platform: The modular architecture, which can be integrated into tactical wheeled armored vehicles, provides an uninterrupted protection shield for deployed troops.

Cost-Effective Protection Shield Against Swarm UAV Threats

One of the most difficult scenarios for modern armies is the swarms of cheap, commercial drones or drones used for kamikaze purposes. Spending millions of dollars' worth of air defense ammunition on a few hundred dollars' worth of drone puts the defense side in a difficult position economically. GÖKALP eliminates this handicap by balancing the target cost against the target.

GÖKALP, which can operate in critical base areas, public buildings, border lines and convoy crossings thanks to its fully mobile structure, is produced entirely with domestic engineering, from its radar to its command and control software. The successfully completed demo activity shows that the system is ready to go into the field and will play a deterrent role in the inventory of security forces in the near future.