Turkey’s long-range regional air and missile defense system SİPER Product-1 has passed another critical milestone. During an autonomous battery firing test conducted at the Sinop Test Center, the system demonstrated its “smart” decision-making capability by destroying the target with a direct hit.
Defense Industry President Haluk Görgün described the achievement as “a strategic signature for the security of our sky homeland,” emphasizing the harmony between ASELSAN’s radar systems, ROKETSAN’s missile engineering, and the Turkish Air Force’s operational experience.
What Is Autonomous Battery Firing and Why Does It Matter?
The autonomous firing mode allows an air-defense battery to detect, track, identify, and neutralize a target with its own sensors, without depending on external command centers or data networks.
Under normal circumstances, air defense systems operate within a central network architecture. In autonomous mode, the SİPER battery:
- Detects threats using its own radar
- Identifies friend or foe
- Engages and fires without external authorization
This capability provides several strategic advantages:
• Resistance to Electronic Warfare
Even if enemy jamming disrupts communications with headquarters, the SİPER battery continues operating independently.
• Faster Reaction Time
Eliminating the need for command-center approval reduces engagement time—crucial when dealing with supersonic threats.
• Independent Field Operation
Deployed on remote borders or islands, a single SİPER battery can independently defend its assigned area.
SİPER Product-1: Turkey’s Long-Range Shield
As one of the upper-tier components of Turkey’s national air defense architecture, SİPER Product-1 protects strategic facilities, critical infrastructure, and military bases. With its advanced technical specifications, the system is positioned among high-tier Western counterparts such as the Patriot.
Key Technical Capabilities
Target Set: Fighter jets, cruise missiles, UAVs/UCAVs, and air-to-ground munitions
Effective Range & Altitude: 100+ km range, 20+ km altitude
Guidance: Active radar seeker with “fire-and-forget” capability in the terminal phase
Vertical Launch System: Full 360° coverage without rotating the launcher
Team Türkiye: The Power Behind SİPER
The SİPER Project is developed by leading institutions of the Turkish defense ecosystem:
- ASELSAN: Radar, command-and-control, fire control, and communication systems
- ROKETSAN: Missile body, rocket motor, and launch platform
- TÜBİTAK SAGE: Warhead technologies and key guidance components
With SİPER entering active inventory, Turkey joins an elite group—including the United States, Russia, and China—capable of producing long-range air and missile defense systems. This capability eliminates foreign dependency and ensures operational sovereignty, as engagement algorithms and source codes remain entirely under Turkish Armed Forces control.
