Türkiye bolsters air defense with Hisar-O success as Eurofighter, F-16 talks progress
Hisar Air Defense Missiles (Roketsan)
Chairman of the Presidency of Defense Industries, Haluk Gorgun, highlighted the growing strength of Türkiye’s technological defense in the skies, driven by national engineering.
He shared details of a recent test firing, stating: “As part of the Hisar-O Mass Production Project, a missile with an RF seeker head, launched from the new generation Hisar-O battery in its mass production configuration, successfully hit and neutralized its target at a range of over 40 kilometers.”
“Under the Hisar Mass Production Project initiated by our Presidency, we have introduced performance-enhancing updates to the fire control/command and control architecture, transitioned to an IP communication infrastructure, integrated a new generation radar capable of detecting targets from greater distances, and equipped the system with advanced guidance/control software and long-range maneuver capabilities. The first batch of the new generation configuration systems, which will form a key part of the Iron Dome Project initiated to counter aerial threats against Türkiye, is expected to be delivered by the end of 2024.”
‘Türkiye nears Eurofighter deal; F-16 talks progress’
National Defense Minister Yasar Guler stated that negotiations for the procurement of Eurofighter jets, produced by the European Union, are nearing completion. Guler noted that three of the Eurofighter partner countries have expressed support for Türkiye. “We are also hearing positive developments from Germany. Hopefully, we will reach a conclusion soon,” he added.
Minister Guler mentioned that discussions with American counterparts regarding the F-16 procurement have been positive, with an understanding of Türkiye’s needs. However, no agreements have been finalized or signed yet. Türkiye aims to acquire 40 F-16 Viper Block 70 aircraft along with associated munitions. The American side is reviewing these requests positively and responding in a timely manner, and the process is progressing well.
