Aselsan has conducted end-to-end testing of its Yildirim 100 directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system against warhead-equipped missiles.

Installed atop a test tower, a DIRCM turret “demonstrated its ability to neutralise infrared-guided missile threats by directing multi-band laser energy at their seekers”, the Turkish company says.

Video released by the developer shows a shoulder-launched air-defence missile being deflected by around 90° from its intended target after launch.

“This successful test demonstrated Aselsan’s unique ability to protect airborne platforms,” the company claims. It adds that Turkey “has reached a new level in laser-based countermeasure capabilities, an area mastered by only a handful of nations worldwide”.

Noting that its technology is “capable of detecting, tracking, and neutralising multiple threats simultaneously”, the developer describes its Yildirim 100 as a “mission-ready solution for modern air combat environments”, with “low power consumption and high operational availability”.

Used operationally, a twin-turret installation would protect platforms such as utility helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

“We take great pride in advancing our country’s air-defence capabilities to the level of the world’s leading nations,” says Aselsan chief executive Ahmet Akyol.

“We will continue to develop game-changing systems that meet the evolving requirements of the modern battlefield,” he adds.