Playing with Israeli and Western nerves: Hezbollah's PSY OPS...
Hezbollah released video footage on August 16 unveiling for the first time a fairly large underground missile base codenamed “Imad 4”.
The security situation in the northern borders of occupied Palestine is still tense, and there is a possibility of a large-scale ground conflict at any moment. After the recent assassinations, the Israeli regime has increased the number of its special units and military forces near the borders of Lebanon due to the possibility of retaliatory attacks by Iran and Hezbollah. Additionally, new concrete trenches have been constructed in the border areas and more equipment has been deployed to the borders.
Turkey's first domestic and national communication satellite, Türksat 6A, started its space journey from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, USA, at 02:30 Turkish time.
Bayraktar TB3 SIHA ramp take-off test was carried out
The armed flight of ANKA III and HÜRJET lasted 50 minutes. The flight was carried out at an altitude of 7 thousand feet at a speed of 165 knots.
Development efforts for ANKA III, which takes the unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities in the Turkish defense industry to a new level, started in 2022. Turkish Aerospace Industries continues its development and testing activities for ANKA III, whose first flight took place on December 28, 2023.
In the future, it is aimed to control unmanned warplanes from manned aircraft. In this context, it is of great importance for HÜRJET to fly with ANKA III.
Qassam Brigades released footage of their attacks on Israeli tanks
Turkish defense company Baykar's domestically developed armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Bayraktar TB3 broke an altitude record Thursday with a domestically produced engine, reaching 33,000 feet in a performance test.
According to a statement from Baykar, the testing process for the Bayraktar TB3 has continued successfully.
The Bayraktar TB3 UAV logged a total of 327 hours and 35 minutes in test flights, including a remarkable 32-hour continuous flight covering 5,700 kilometers (3,541 miles) on Dec. 20, 2023.
On March 26 this year, it achieved another milestone by successfully flying with the domestically developed ASELFLIR-500 system, known for its superior performance globally.
Equipped with foldable wings, the Bayraktar TB3 will become the first armed UAV capable of operating from short-runway ships like the TCG Anadolu.
Baykar, largely self-funded, has relied on exports for 83% of its revenue since 2003, becoming the defense and aviation sector's export leader, according to the Turkish Exporters Assembly.
Recognized by the Presidency of Defense Industries in 2023, Baykar's exports totaled $1.8 billion last year, constituting over 90% of its income and one-third of the sector's total exports in 2023.
As the world's largest UAV exporter, Baykar has fulfilled 97.5% of its contracts through exports, with agreements signed with a total of 34 countries, including 33 countries for the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and nine countries so far for the Bayraktar AKINCI TIHA.
US Stealth Jet Offer to Turkey Puts Future of Its Russian S-400 Missiles in Doubt
With Turkey-U.S. relations improving rapidly, Washington offered to allow Ankara to buy its advanced F-35 military jet if it removes to a third country the S-400 missiles it purchased from Russia. But as Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, the missiles remain a potent symbol of deepening Turkish-Russian ties.
source: voa.com
National laser weapon will further develop with domestic resources
ALKA, the innovative weapon system developed within the Turkish defense industry, almost entirely with domestic resources, will develop further, especially with SMEs assuming responsibility.
According to the statement made by STM Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc., a contract was signed for the first export of the fixed-wing national strike UAV system ALPAGU, also known to the public as "kamikaze UAV". Having passed the ammunition test firing and all field tests, the first deliveries of ALPAGU were made to the user country.
STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz stated that deliveries to the export country will continue in the coming period. Güleryüz said, "There is intense interest in ALPAGU from different continents and countries, as in our strike UAV KARGU and our spotter UAV TOGAN. We are in talks with many countries for new exports of ALPAGU. There are countries waiting in line for ALPAGU." ." he said.
Stating that contract negotiations are continuing for ALPAGU to enter the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces, Güleryüz said, "With the completion of the negotiations, we will deliver a large number of ALPAGU to our army. While equipping our army with our national technologies, we will continue to contribute to the export targets of our defense industry with foreign sales." made his assessment.
ALPAGU, which means "brave man who attacks the enemy alone" in Old Turkish, stands out with its light structure, diving speed, low radar cross-section and speed, and its ability to cause pinpoint damage to important targets. ALPAGU, which can take an active role in counter-terrorism operations, cross-border operations and residential conflicts, has a range of 10 kilometers.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced strong support for Hamas in its war against Israel, calling Hamas a liberation movement. At the same time, analysts say, Turkey remains a vital energy transit route for Israel. The gap between rhetoric and action is part of what analysts say is Ankara's effort to play a diplomatic role in the conflict. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.
The Houthis (Ansar Allah) in Yemen announced late on November 8 that they had shot down a United States combat drone off the coast of the Arabian Peninsula country, saying it had been deployed in support of Israel.
The Houthis, who control a large part of Yemen and maintain a large arsenal of missiles and drones, are part of the so-called “Axis of Resistance” which is backed by Iran and opposes Israel.
U.S. defense officials confirmed later that an MQ-9 was shot down, saying that the drone was operating in international airspace and over international waters when it was targeted.
Video of the attack on the MQ-9 was released by the Houthis. U.S. defense officials said that the drone was likely taken down with a Soviet-made 2K12 Kub air defense system, which has an engagement range of 22-25 kilometers.
Since the outbreak of the war in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, the Houthis have launched at least five attacks with missiles and drones against Israel. The latest of these attacks was on November 6.
MQ-9 drones, which cost upwards of $30 million per a unit, are primarily used to collect intelligence, but have the ability to conduct pinpoint strikes. The advanced drones can operate for more than 27 hours and reach altitudes of over 25,000 feet.
The Houthis shot down U.S. drones on several occasions in the past, but Washington refrained from responding. This time, the U.S. could respond in some way to show support for Israel. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, which are both in the Red Sea, can launch strikes or raids against targets in Yemen. However, this won’t deter the battle-hardened Houthis, who may escalate by targeting U.S. warships.
The “Mustafa Kemal Atatürk 2023” military exercise, named after the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, is scheduled to be held between Oct. 23 and Oct. 25, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The armies of the two countries will showcase their skills in the military exercise, which will be held in the Azerbaijani capital Baku and the exclave of Nakhchivan. The ministry said the exercise would also be held in “territories liberated from the invasion,” in reference to Karabakh. Azerbaijan fought a 2020 war with Armenia to liberate Karabakh. Last September, it launched a counterterrorism operation in the region against Armenian separatists which gained a foothold in the region after the war. Leaders of the separatists were arrested while President Ilham Aliyev made a landmark visit to Karabakh over the weekend, to cement permanent Azerbaijani sovereignty in the region.
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said the exercise will be held to honor the centenary of the Republic of Türkiye and Turkish troops and several aerial vehicles that will participate in the exercise already arrived in the country.
Türkiye is the main ally of Azerbaijan and was a staunch supporter of its efforts to liberate Karabakh from illegal Armenian occupation.
In the statement made by the Ministry of National Defense, it was stated that Martyr Captain Cengiz Topel Mediterranean Storm Exercise-23 continues with the participation of land, sea and air elements from Turkey and TRNC.
In the statement, it was noted that the exercise aims to improve training, cooperation and interoperability between the Turkish Cypriot Peace Forces Command and the TRNC Security Forces Command.
A video containing footage of the exercise was also shared on the Ministry of National Defense's social media account.
The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) celebrated the 49th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation.
AA announced the operation, which was launched by the Turkish Armed Forces at 06.00 on 20 July 1974, to its subscribers at 06.10 with a flash of "The Prime Minister announced: We are in Cyprus".
Following the flash, the following statements of Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit were served by AA with the title "Turkish Army in Cyprus for Peace".
After the operation was heard all over the country, AA reporters, who reported the developments and observations moment by moment, shared the following information with their subscribers:
"Anadolu Agency quickly announced the start of the operation with the traditional flash ... flash ... flash ... flash ... sign. Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit's statement of the start of the operation was heard in all four corners of the country in a short time."
Reporting on the statements of Deputy Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan, the Agency gave the following statements of Erbakan:
"If we do not see resistance against us, there will be no bloodshed and there will be a movement that will help ensure world peace in Cyprus. May Almighty Allah give beneficial results to our nation and all humanity due to this operation. Today, we are in the satisfaction and happiness of fulfilling a historical duty."
Republic of Cyprus and the illegal state of TRNC compete in military exercises
Cyprus' co-member-states Spain and Poland join military exercise with breakaway TRNC despite Greece’s objections, Nordic Monitor says.
The Turkish Ministry of Defense shared a video on Thursday about the International Anatolian Phoenix Exercise-2023 currently being conducted in Konya with the participation of Azerbaijan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Spain, Qatar and Poland. Greek government officials had in previous years protested EU countries participating in this exercise.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is recognized only by Turkey, which has no diplomatic relations with the Republic of Cyprus, a member of the European Union.
Turkey encourages the KKTC to participate in or send representation to international meetings and events it hosts. It is lobbying for recognition of the TRNC by Islamic countries and the Central Asian Turkic Republics.
In September 2022, speaking to the UN General Assembly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for recognition of the TRNC an independent state and urged the removal of sanctions and embargoes on the Turkish Cypriots.
The International Anatolian Phoenix Exercise has been carried out at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command in Konya since 2009 in a realistic operational environment with the aim of developing survival and evasion procedures and increasing pilots and ground personnel’s experience in joint operations.
The drills have been held twice a year, one of which is an international event, since 2012. This year’s exercise, which started on June 5, will end on June 16.
"Bold Wings - 2023"
In contrast, the "Bold Wings - 2023" Tactical Exercise With Troops is taking place between the National Guard and the Armed Forces of France in Special Operations drills.
The small-scale special operations exercise called “Bold Wings – 2023”, co-organized by the National Guard and the French Armed Forces, started o
Some 27 of the Turkish defense industry company FNSS-developed Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicles (ZAHA), which are described as the best in their class in the world, entered the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) with a ceremony on Friday.
The ZAHA Vehicles Delivery and Enhanced Armored Personnel Carrier (GZPT) Modernization Project Signature Program was carried out at FNSS Defense Systems’ facilities in the capital Ankara’s Gölbaşı district.
Speaking at the event, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), Ismail Demir, said there are very effective companies in armored vehicles in Türkiye that produce compatible products.
Demir pointed out that the increasing complexity of the ground operations environment makes the development and improvement of armored vehicles inevitable, and said, “ZAHA can be described as the best vehicle in its class in the world. Our vehicle is equipped with the latest modern developments. Therefore, it would probably not be wrong to say that it is the best.”
Informing that a total of 27 ZAHAs, including 23 amphibious assault personnel vehicles, two amphibious assault command vehicles and two amphibious assault rescue vehicles, are planned to be procured, Demir said that not only conventional warfare vehicles but also new generation technology and vehicle development studies will continue under the “Century of Türkiye” vision led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Nail Kurt, general manager of the FNSS, also gave information about the projects they carried out in the last nine years under the leadership of the SSB.
Stating that the ZAHA Project was signed in 2017, Kurt said, “ZAHA is the most up-to-date amphibious assault vehicle in the world. Our Presidency and naval forces have qualified it, and the first batch deliveries have begun.”
Noting that the 6x6 PARS Special Operations Vehicles agreement they signed with the SSB in 2018 and developed for the Special Forces Command is another ex
On May 25, Iran announced that it had successfully tested an upgraded version of the Khorramshahr medium-range ballistic missile.
The new version, dubbed Khoramshahr 4 or Kheibar, was unveiled in the presence of Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani during an event marking the 41st anniversary of the liberation of the southwestern city of Khorramshahr.
“The message of the Ministry of Defense… is that we are fully committed to defending our country and the achievements of the Islamic Revolution,” Ashtiani said during the unveiling ceremony. “We are taking steps to equip the Armed Forces in various sectors of defense such as missiles, drones, air defense, and more, and undoubtedly, more [achievements] will be unveiled in the future.
The liquid-fueled ballistic missile has a maximum range of 2,000 kilometers and can carry a 1,500 kg warhead, which make it a serious threat to Israel.
Kheibar features an advanced steering system that allows the missile to adjust its trajectory outside the Earth’s atmosphere, as well as an upgraded guidance system that turns off as the missile enters the atmosphere, giving it complete immunity against electronic warfare attacks. The original version of Khorramshahr is thought to have an accuracy of three meters.
The new version of the missile also has a launch time of less than just 12 minutes thanks to a new fuel and self-igniting systems.
The missile can reach speeds of up to Mach 16 outside the atmosphere and Mach 8 upon reentry, making it difficult to detect, track and intercept by existing anti-missile systems.
Kheibar will further boost the offensive capabilities of Iran. The country has been working nonstop to develop its missile capabilities in order to deal with increasing threats from the United States and Israel. Tehran’s large missile program achieved a number of breakthroughs in the last few years, despite facing strict sanctions and even sabotage.
Turkish missile producer Roketsan on Tuesday successfully tested the short-range ballistic missile Tayfun (Typhoon) in the country's Black Sea province Rize.
Tayfun is Türkiye's longest-range missile so far.
Ismail Demir, the head of Türkiye's Defense Presidency, congratulated the team involved in the project.
The firm previously tested the missile in October 2022, when it hit a target from 560 kilometers (some 348 miles) away.
According to documents recently presented by Nordic Monitor (https://nordicmonitor.com/2023/05/26751/) the Turkish military secretly arranged a visit to Ankara of a North Korean general who was in charge of developing ballistic missile technology, to discuss terms of cooperation and technology transfer, during the 90's.
The revelation was made by Aydın Köstem, a Turkish arms smuggler who had long worked with the Turkish military and intelligence agency, at a court hearing in Ankara in February 2023. As he tried to explain his background to a panel of judges to prove his patriotism, Köstem provided details of a secret visit by a North Korean general to Turkey in the 1990s.
He said the assignment to approach North Korea was given to him by Gen. Ahmet Çörekçi, the then-deputy chief of general staff, with whom he had been working since Çörekçi was serving as secretary of the National Security Council (MGK), the highest security body in Turkey which is also described as a shadow government.
“He invited me to meet with him when he was deputy chief of general staff, so I went to the general staff headquarters. He said they were experiencing shortcomings in the fight against terrorism and were facing problems. He asked me if I could explore where we could get weapons and ammunition that would help our troops. I said I would be happy to do it,” Köstem said during his testimony at the Ankara 28th High Criminal Court.
The Turkish public on Monday flocked to the Sarayburnu coastline of Istanbul to get a first-hand look at Türkiye’s recently commissioned, long-anticipated largest warship.
The TCG Anadolu bolsters Türkiye’s naval capabilities and makes the country one of the few nations globally with a domestically built aircraft carrier.
More than Türkiye’s first aircraft carrier, the ship will also be the world’s first vessel with an air wing mainly comprised of unmanned aircraft.
The TCG Anadolu anchored at the Sarayburnu Port Sunday, just a week after the ship was delivered to the Naval Forces Command in a ceremony led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who announced the vessel would be open to the public.
Visitors lined up on Monday to visit the TCG Anadolu, a landing helicopter dock (LHD) type amphibious assault ship based on Spain’s flagship, the Juan Carlos I.
BMC Executive Board Member and Top Manager Murat Yalçıntaş, BMC Defense General Manager Mehmet Karaaslan and BMC Power General Manager Mustafa Kaval gave information about the projects they carried out, especially the Altay Tank Project.
Stating that BMC Defense, which will produce the Altay tank, is a 100% Turkish company, Yalçıntaş said that the intellectual property rights of the Altay tank and engines produced at the factory belong to the Presidency of Defense Industries.
There is currently another country's power group on it. All work was done to procure this power group, permissions were obtained, bureaucratic procedures were completed. Tests were carried out with this force group, the tests were successfully passed, and the force group was accepted by the Turkish Armed Forces. At the moment, there is no obstacle for the mass production of the Altay tank. The design work on the domestic power group is finished, prototypes are produced and tested. It is estimated that the tests will take 1.5-2 years.
The design work on the domestic power group is finished, prototypes are produced and tested. It is estimated that the tests will take 1.5-2 years. As of 2026, we are in a position to deliver our New Altay tank to the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces with our local power group.
According to the information given by BMC Defense General Manager Mehmet Karaaslan, the New Altay tank with much superior capabilities emerged after the localization and additional capabilities made on the Altay tank prototypes produced in 2014 due to the German export license obstacle.
Among the new capabilities added to the new Altay tank, active protection system, improved armor system, renewed fire control system, renewed vehicle control system, concentrated power group (Korea), localized systems (speed reduction, gunner's 2nd degree sight system, track, turret ring gear) , fuel and hydraulic pumps, mobile concealment net, periscope, rotor).
Driving tests of the new Alt
