On Monday, March 10, 2025, the Turkish company Aselsan announced the successful test of the Gökberk short-range mobile laser weapon system, which automatically detected, tracked, and neutralized FPV (First-Person View) combat drones.
Photo: Aselsan
During the tests, the system successfully neutralized unmanned aerial vehicles at distances of 1,200 and 1,500 meters (a fixed-wing drone and a multirotor) and burned through a 6 mm thick steel plate from a distance of 600 meters.
The laser is part of a multi-layered air and missile defense concept, which the authorities in Ankara have named the “Steel Dome” as the lowest-tier system. It is specifically designed to neutralize threats such as micro and mini-class unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The system consists of a reconnaissance module composed of optoelectronic heads, a radar, and the İhtar 100/S counting system for automatic target detection and tracking, mounted on a rotating extendable mast. It also features a high-energy laser weapon system with a 5 kW output, along with a power supply unit equipped with its own guidance system, which includes a day camera, thermal imaging camera, and laser rangefinder. Interestingly, its secondary armament is a conventional radio frequency jammer. The entire system is mounted on a medium-duty 6×6 truck chassis.
The guidance and fire control system is supported by machine learning (artificial intelligence) algorithms, while its cooling systems allow for continuous operation 24/7. The system was developed in collaboration with TÜBİTAK BİLGEM, and all of its key components were produced domestically.
According to the manufacturer, Gökberk will play a key role in protecting critical infrastructure, such as military bases, airports, power plants, and oil refineries. Its mobility allows for a wide range of applications. Based on data gathered from live-fire tests and trials conducted under various weather conditions, further improvements and system development are ongoing.
Fiber laser and semiconductor laser technologies for air defense applications have been under development in Türkiye for several years. In the past, Aselsan developed the LSS laser weapon system, mounted on the BMC Amazon tactical vehicle chassis, capable of neutralizing aerial threats at distances of up to 500 meters and ground threats at up to 200 meters. Tests for this system were conducted in 2018. Competing companies have also developed similar systems: Roketsan designed the ALKA system with a range of up to 1,000 meters, Meteksan Defense Industry developed a system called Nazar, and TÜBİTAK Informatics created a system known as Jarmol.
{#HavaSavunma}#ASELSAN #GÖKBERK Mobil Lazer Silah Sistemi.
➡️ FPV dronlar,
➡️ Yüksek hızlı, döner ve sabit kanatlı İHA'lar,
➡️ Zırh ve EYP gibi hedeflere karşı etkin.#ÇELİKKUBBE#ASELSAN🔗#TÜBİTAKBİLGEM
🌐
{#AirDefense}
ASELSAN GÖKBERK Mobile Laser Weapon System.
➡️ FPV drones,… pic.twitter.com/in6zQDsKaX— ASELSAN (@aselsan) March 10, 2025