ROKETSAN KARAOK successfully hit an air target for the first time

KARAOK Short Range Anti-Tank Weapon System, developed by ROKETSAN, successfully hit an air target for the first time in the test.

KARAOK Short Range Anti-Tank Weapon System, developed by ROKETSAN, successfully hit an air target for the first time. In the statement made by the company on September 23, 2026, it was stated that KARAOK's effectiveness against land targets was also transferred to air targets, thus providing a broader engagement capability against different threats.

ROKETSAN General Manager Murat Ikinci also announced that KARAOK's usage area has expanded after the launch. Second, he stated that the system successfully hit an air target for the first time and that solutions were developed for the changing needs in the field by integrating different capabilities into the systems.

KARAOK can now also be used against air targets

KARAOK stands out as a portable anti-tank system developed primarily for use against armored targets at short range. According to ROKETSAN's current technical data, the system has a range of 2.5 kilometers, a diameter of 125 mm and an infrared imaging seeker head.

KARAOK, which can operate day and night thanks to its infrared imaging head, can be used against fixed and moving targets. The current definition of the system includes ground targets such as tanks, armored vehicles, combat vehicles and concrete pillboxes.

The last test showed that a new target class could be added to the system's mission scope. Thus, KARAOK, whose main function is anti-tank, becomes a system that can also be used against air targets under suitable conditions.

A different usage concept in air defense

KARAOK's ability to hit air targets reveals a different usage concept from classical air defense systems.

While there are different range and altitude layers in the air defense architecture, the use of portable systems such as KARAOK against air targets can provide an additional engagement option, especially against threats moving at low altitudes.

However, in ROKETSAN's statement, the type of air target used in the test, the engagement distance or other technical parameters in which the shooting was carried out were not shared. Therefore, new tests and official statements need to be waited to draw broader conclusions regarding the operational scope of KARAOK's air defense mission.

KARAOK's main mission is anti-tank

The purpose of developing KARAOK is to create a portable anti-tank system that is effective against directly armored land targets.

According to ROKETSAN data, the system has a fire-and-forget usage concept and can track its target with its infrared seeker head. KARAOK's warhead is designed with an armor-piercing tandem structure.

The system was used for the first time by elements of the Turkish Armed Forces within the scope of the EFES Exercise in 2026.

With the new test, it was revealed that KARAOK can be evaluated not only against ground vehicles but also against air threats. This development draws attention at a time when concepts for the use of a single ammunition or weapon system against different target types are becoming increasingly important in defense technologies.