LEVENT close-range air defense system completes successful test launch

Roketsan’s domestically developed LEVENT point defense missile system (PDMS) successfully completed its first-ever test launch from a sea platform.

The LEVENT system is a short-range air defense missile system designed specifically for naval platforms, aimed at protecting against a variety of aerial threats, including anti-ship missiles, aircraft, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles. Developed by Roketsan, a leading Turkish defense company, it is derived from the Sungur missile, a man-portable air defense system (MANPADS).

First test launch from sea platform

According to a statement from Roketsan, the test was conducted from the Turkish navy’s TCG Beykoz corvette, integrating LEVENT into the ship’s defense systems. The missile system had previously undergone successful ground-based test launches.

This marks the first time the system has been fired from a naval platform.

The test is part of a broader effort to enhance Türkiye’s naval defense capabilities in the Blue Homeland, particularly in the area of close-range air defense.

LEVENT is expected to play a critical role in the Steel Dome project, which is designed to provide Türkiye with an integrated, layered air defense system.

A step toward enhanced naval defense

Roketsan General Manager Murat Ikinci shared the achievement on X, stating, “This power is our legacy from our brave LEVENTs! The test firing of our LEVENT, which will protect our Blue Homeland day and night as the backbone of our close air defense, was successfully carried out.”

“I would like to thank everyone who contributed,” he added.

The LEVENT air defense missile system is designed to handle various threats, including missile strikes, and will be integrated into the Turkish navy’s surface platforms.

This successful test launch further solidifies the missile’s effectiveness in naval defense scenarios.

Aiming to end dependency on foreign systems

LEVENT is designed to replace the U.S.-made RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM), which has been used on Türkiye’s TCG Heybeliada, TCG Buyukada, TCG Burgazada, and TCG Kinaliada MILGEM-class corvettes but has faced export restrictions due to geopolitical tensions, including U.S. sanctions following Türkiye’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 system.

By developing LEVENT, Türkiye reduces its dependence on foreign suppliers, ensuring uninterrupted access to critical defense technology.

LEVENT’s capabilities and design

The LEVENT system is based on Roketsan’s Sungur portable air defense missile and has been adapted for naval use.

The missile features dual-mode guidance, combining passive radio frequency (RF) and imaging infrared (IIR) seekers, which allow it to track targets based on both radar emissions and heat signatures.

LEVENT has an effective range of 11 kilometers, with a compact size designed for integration into naval platforms. The missile system is capable of engaging a variety of threats, including supersonic targets, and can operate in diverse weather conditions.

The missile’s warhead weighs 10 kilograms and is equipped with a proximity sensor for enhanced accuracy. Its 360-degree coverage and quick reaction time provide critical protection for naval platforms, ensuring they can defend against incoming threats in real time.

Key technical specifications include:

• Range: 11 kilometers, suitable for close-in defense.
• Missile Diameter: 128 mm, compact for shipboard integration.
• Launcher: An 11-missile vertical launcher, providing multiple engagement opportunities.
• Seeker Technology: Dual-mode, combining passive radio frequency (RF) and imaging infrared (IIR) seekers, enabling tracking via heat signatures and radar emissions.
• Coverage: 360 degrees, ensuring all-around protection.
• Operating Modes: Manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic, offering flexibility in operation.
• Integration: Can operate autonomously with its own radar and electro-optical sensors or integrate seamlessly with the ship’s radar, electro-optic sensors, and combat management system.

The LEVENT missile system’s advanced AESA radar technology and dual guidance capabilities set it apart from other systems.

In contrast to its counterpart, the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM), which relies on an IR and Passive RF seeker with the IR seeker tracking the missile’s roll, LEVENT’s IIR+Passive RF seekers offer more precise tracking, especially in complex threat environments.

The passive RF antennas allow the acquisition of anti-ship missiles by intercepting signals from active RF seekers, offering a backup guidance mechanism.

GOKSUR 100-N: A new generation of PDMS

In parallel, Türkiye’s Aselsan, in collaboration with TUBITAK SAGE, is developing the GOKSUR 100-N PDMS.

This missile family includes several configurations, with the GOKSUR 100-N “bare” configuration featuring 20 missiles, the GOKSUR 100-N/StA standalone configuration equipped with sensors similar to LEVENT’s, and the GOKSUR 100-N VLS with a modular vertical launch system.

The GOKSUR 100-N VLS has also been tested aboard the TCG Beykoz corvette, where the vertical launcher was placed in an angled position for optimal performance.

• GOKSUR 100-N VLS (Vertical Launch System)
• GOKSUR 100-N/StA (Standalone Mission-Capable System)
• GOKSUR 100-N Combat Management System Integrated Configuration

The GOKSUR 100-N system provides enhanced air defense capabilities, similar to LEVENT, with different configurations to meet various operational requirements. The GOKSUR 100-N/StA variant, with its sensor setup similar to LEVENT, further expands Türkiye’s naval defense options.

The system is also designed to offer greater flexibility and modularity, adapting to the needs of the Turkish Navy’s diverse platforms.