Aselsan Gökberk: Mastering the Art of Tackling FPV Drone Menaces
ASELSAN’s GÖKBERK Mobile Laser Armament System has validated its efficiency against FPV drones, which have surfaced as a significant threat in contemporary warfare. In a recent evaluation, the identification, automatic monitoring, and neutralization of FPV threats in various scenarios were adeptly executed with GÖKBERK. Showcasing its swift response time and precise targeting capabilities, GÖKBERK is set to play a vital role in Türkiye’s national aerial defense framework, Steel Dome.
ASELSAN, Türkiye’s premier defense corporation, continues to make substantial advancements in the domain of directed energy weaponry, one of the next-generation technologies. Previously confirmed effective against both rotary and fixed-wing suicide drones, GÖKBERK exhibited its advanced functionalities by detecting, autonomously tracking, and dispatching FPV drones across an array of testing scenarios, showcasing remarkable speed and precision in engagement.
As an essential element of Steel Dome, GÖKBERK distinguishes itself as a close-range air defense armament system that facilitates hard-kill and soft-kill elimination of threats like mini/micro UAVs and IEDs. GÖKBERK integrates ASELSAN’s İHTAR platform with the laser weapon on a platform capable of 6×6 mobile deployment, rather than a distributed framework. Developed with the collaboration of critical industry allies including TÜBİTAK BİLGEM, all principal subcomponents of GÖKBERK have been designed and manufactured domestically, bolstering Türkiye’s defense industry independence. With GÖKBERK, ASELSAN is pioneering a new and pivotal system that will operate within the Steel Dome air defense network.
GÖKBERK employs a native laser source with exceptional beam quality for hard-kill neutralization of targets, while also offering soft-kill capabilities through an electronic jammer developed by ASELSAN. The system can execute highly accurate target tracking using various electro-optical systems within the guidance unit. With artificial intelligence-driven algorithms, the system’s tracking and recognition abilities are optimized, allowing GÖKBERK to eliminate threats in the target array swiftly. Thanks to a cooler designed for continuous operation, GÖKBERK can sustain indefinite fire for extended periods. This system, which delivers maximal impact with minimal power consumption, is recognized as a cost-efficient solution.
GÖKBERK is set to assume a crucial function in safeguarding fixed installations such as military bases, airports, power facilities, and oil refineries, and will possess a diverse range of applications owing to its mobile deployment feature. Continuous improvement and developmental efforts on the system are underway, using data collected from the firing evaluations and tests of GÖKBERK conducted under varied weather circumstances.
