Euronaval 2024 – Aselsan unveils the Göksur 100-N Point Missile Defence System

Already present in the naval close-in weapon systems arena with its 35 mm Gökdeniz CIWS, Aselsan is unveiling its longer-range point missile defence system, the Göksur 100-N

A new system is being added to the Aselsan portfolio in the area of naval self-defence, the Göksur 100-N, which was unveiled at the 2024 edition of Euronaval, the Paris exhibition dedicated to naval systems. The new missile-based system is designed to add a longer-range layer of defence to the Gökdeniz CIWS, which effective range against provided by its twin 35 mm guns and by the airburst munition, also developed by Aselsan, is around 4 km.

The new Göksur 100-N leverages the development made by Tübitak-Sage on air-to-air missiles; at IDEF 2017 the Defence Industries Research and Development Institute unveiled two missiles developed within the Göktuğ Project, a within visual range missile with infrared seeker aimed at replacing the AIM-9 Sidewinder, the Bozdoğan, and a medium range beyond-line-of-sight weapon, the Gökdoğan, fitted with an RF seeker, which will replace the AIM-120 AMRAAM.

The new Aselsan point missile defence system (PMDS) is based on a surface-to-air version of the Bozdoğan. The weapon retains the dual-colour Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) seeker which allows off-boresight lock-on and guides the missile in the terminal phase of the engagement; most of the data of the original version should be maintained, such as missile diameter, 160 mm, length, 3,300 mm, and mass, 140 kg. The same should apply to the solid propellant rocket motor, and to the blast/fragmentation warhead, the missile being fitted with a laser proximity fuse.

To allow the Bozdoğan to be launched from a canister rather than from a rail, the system used when deployed from aircraft, Tübitak-Sage and Aselsan technicians worked on a version with folding wings. EDR On-Line understood that the new variant of the missile has been fitted with a data-link, which should allow mid-course guidance based on data provided by the ship sensors, before the IIR seeker locks onto the target.

Compared to the 25 km range declared for the air-to-air version, the surface-to-air version used in the new PMDS is 15 km. “The data link is an important feature as it provides a mid-course update capability, but even most important is the AI-supported fire control system inside the missile, a machine learning algorithm considering the trajectory of the missile in every scenario that improves the system performances thanks to the feedback,” Ahmet Akyol, Aselsan’s President and CEO told EDR On-Line.

The Göksur 100-N hosts 20 missiles, in two pods each one with 10 missiles, fitted on the sides of a central structure containing actuators and electronics. However, this is only one of the proposed configurations. “There are three versions of our PMDS; one is standalone, which is fitted with its own radar and electro optics; a second one is based on fix inclined launchers, which exploits the platforms existing on the naval platform; and finally, we have the vertical launch version,” the CEO detailed.

The model of the trainable PMDS was not fitted with radar and optronics, while another model was showing canister integrated in the hull as well as some outside the hull, those being in the vertical position, however it is clear that they can also be installed in an inclined position. EDR On-Line understood that those launchers can be installed all over the platform, not necessarily all together, as each canister is single. As for the trainable version, also this can be adapted to customers’ needs, for example a scaled-down launcher with a limited number of missiles, say five plus five, might be envisaged for being installed on smaller naval vessels, the current 20-missile version having a mass of around 5 tonnes without missiles, these adding around 3 tonnes to the system.

The Göksur 100-N is an ongoing programme, and Aselsan aims at having a first system firing before year end. The system should be available as a product in two-rear time. The PMDS proposed by Aselsan aims firstly at defeating sea-skimming missiles, incoming loitering munitions as well as medium sized drones remaining of course part of the Göksur 100-N targets set. EDR On-Line understood that Aselsan is developing a new AESA radar for the new naval defence system stand-alone version, that should be announced soon.

Photos by P. Valpolini