ISTANBUL — May 6, 2026 : Turkish defense manufacturer Roketsan officially unveiled its new NEŞTER air-launched kinetic precision munition during SAHA Expo 2026, introducing a lightweight strike system designed for operations in dense urban environments and counterterrorism missions where minimizing collateral damage is a critical operational requirement.
The system was presented on May 5 during the international defense, aerospace and space industry exhibition taking place in Istanbul from May 5 to 9, 2026. NEŞTER, which translates to “Scalpel” in Turkish, has been developed to engage high-value targets without relying on conventional explosive warheads, instead using kinetic energy and mechanical fragmentation effects to neutralize personnel and soft targets with limited impact on surrounding infrastructure.
According to Roketsan, the munition was designed specifically for operational scenarios involving populated areas, narrow urban streets, building entrances, convoy interdiction routes and confined terrain where conventional blast-fragmentation munitions may generate excessive secondary damage. The system is intended to provide NATO-aligned and allied operators with a proportional strike capability suitable for modern drone warfare and precision engagement missions.
Kinetic Warhead and Blade Deployment Mechanism
Unlike conventional guided munitions that rely on explosive detonation, NEŞTER employs a kinetic-impact mechanism combined with deployable metallic blades. The munition is fitted with a highly sensitive proximity sensor positioned in the nose section. Milliseconds before impact, the sensor activates six pop-out blades that extend outward from the body of the projectile.
The destructive effect is generated through the munition’s speed, mass and mechanical cutting force rather than explosive overpressure. Roketsan states that the design enables the weapon to physically fragment and disable targets through direct kinetic interaction, significantly reducing blast effects and uncontrolled fragmentation beyond the immediate impact area.
The system is derived from Roketsan’s existing MAM-L lightweight smart munition family, which has been widely integrated across Turkish unmanned aerial vehicle platforms and light attack aircraft. While standard MAM-L variants are available with armor-piercing, thermobaric and high-explosive fragmentation warheads, NEŞTER replaces the explosive payload with a dedicated kinetic warhead incorporating the blade deployment mechanism.
Technical Specifications
NEŞTER retains the same external dimensions and structural profile as the standard MAM-L munition, allowing compatibility with existing launch systems and integration infrastructure already used by operators of Turkish air-launched precision weapons.
The munition measures 0.95 meters in length, has a diameter of 150 millimeters and weighs 23 kilograms. Guidance is provided through an inertial navigation system (INS) combined with a semi-active laser (SAL) seeker. The laser guidance architecture allows targets to be designated by the launch platform itself, another aircraft, a UAV or a ground-based laser designator.
According to Roketsan technical data, NEŞTER has an operational range of 15 kilometers when launched under a flight profile of 20,000 feet altitude and 100 knots airspeed. The munition is intended for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and light attack aircraft operating in tactical strike roles.
The weapon is designed to engage personnel, exposed combatants, soft vehicles, lightly protected targets and unarmored platforms located in confined or civilian-sensitive environments. The combination of INS-supported navigation and terminal laser guidance allows the munition to maintain controlled flight toward the designated target area before executing precision terminal engagement.
UAV Compatibility and Operational Integration
Because NEŞTER maintains the same form factor as the MAM-L family, it can be integrated onto existing Turkish UAV platforms without structural modification. The munition is compatible with combat drones already in service within Türkiye’s unmanned systems ecosystem, including the Bayraktar TB2, TAI ANKA and Bayraktar AKINCI.
The lightweight configuration enables tactical UAVs and light aircraft to carry multiple units during a single sortie while maintaining endurance and payload flexibility. Roketsan indicated that the shared MAM-L technical foundation simplifies logistics, integration procedures, maintenance requirements and operator training for armed forces already employing Turkish precision-guided munitions.
Operational scenarios identified for NEŞTER include counterterrorism missions, border security operations, special operations support, convoy interdiction, urban warfare environments and precision engagements near civilian infrastructure. The munition is intended for situations where military planners require the ability to strike individual targets while minimizing blast propagation and secondary fragmentation effects.
Comparison With the AGM-114R9X Hellfire
Conceptually, NEŞTER shares similarities with the U.S. AGM-114R9X Hellfire missile variant, a specialized kinetic weapon developed for precision strikes against high-value targets with reduced collateral damage. Like the AGM-114R9X, the Turkish system uses deployable blades rather than a conventional explosive warhead to generate terminal effects.
However, NEŞTER occupies a lighter and more compact class of air-launched munition. While the AGM-114R9X is approximately 1.62 meters long and weighs between 44.5 and 48.5 kilograms, NEŞTER measures 0.95 meters and weighs 23 kilograms. The reduced size and weight allow carriage by smaller UAVs and light attack aircraft, increasing deployment flexibility and sortie payload capacity.
The system also differs in market positioning. The AGM-114R9X remains a highly restricted U.S. capability with limited export accessibility, while NEŞTER expands Roketsan’s export-oriented precision weapons portfolio. The munition is positioned as an accessible low-collateral strike option for allied and partner nations seeking precision engagement capabilities optimized for unmanned warfare operations.
Additional Systems Introduced at SAHA Expo 2026
NEŞTER was unveiled alongside several additional Roketsan systems introduced during SAHA Expo 2026. These included the CİRİT Anti-İHA variant designed for counter-UAV operations, the CİDA long-range anti-tank missile and a new mini cruise missile platform.
The broader product presentation reflects ongoing industry emphasis on scalable precision-guided weapons, compact air-launched systems and controlled-effect munitions tailored for increasingly complex operational environments involving drones, urban combat zones and proportional strike requirements.
With the introduction of NEŞTER, Roketsan expands Türkiye’s portfolio of combat-oriented air-launched precision munitions while addressing growing international demand for weapons capable of conducting accurate strikes in densely populated and infrastructure-sensitive environments.
——— End of Article ———
