Egypt Airshow: Turkey’s Aselsan showing the way

General manager Ahmet Akyol puts it down to expanding business right across the defence sectors.

“We started our business with creating payloads like radar and EO/IR FLIRs for land, then jumped to naval, but the difficult one was to airborne and then space,” Akyol said

Today Aselsan’s business covers six main areas - airborne radars, electronic warfare, electro-optical, communications, avionics and guidance kits. “We are showcasing our airborne ISR radars and electronic warfare capabilities like EW pods for F-16s, helicopters and unmanned aerial systems. Both TAI’s Akuncjar and Bayraktar’s TB2 UAS use our self-protection systems.

“We are the main supplier of electro-optics to Turkish UAS, like the Aselsan 500 (ASELFLIR-500) high-performance new generation 15” electro-optical reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting system, which has been exported to four countries to date, and by the end of the year that could reach seven countries. It has many additional features compared to many – we can for example designate targets at 90 degrees on the ground.”

Communications is the fourth sector. “This is the second time we are showing our national Tactical datalink – T-Link a similar Link 16 national concept, includes IFF systems, radio systems, SATCOM systems etc.”

On avionics Aselsan supplies systems to the Hurjet and to the Turkish national fighter jet, Kaan as well as to modernised/upgraded helicopters. The sixth and most reason business sector is bomb guidance kits like the laser/INS guided bombs.