Türkiye Conducts First Live Test of Indigenous Göksur Naval Air Defence System

On October 7, 2025, Türkiye carried out the first live test-firing of the Göksur Air Defence System at the Sinop missile test range on the Black Sea coast. The event marked an important step in Türkiye’s efforts to strengthen its self-reliant naval defence capability.

During the test, the Göksur IIR missile, fitted with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, intercepted a sea-skimming target flying at low altitude over the sea, one of the more demanding profiles for air defence systems. The missile successfully hit and destroyed the target at a distance of over 11 kilometres, confirming its operational performance.

The firing was conducted using ASELSAN’s indigenously developed Göksur 100-N Vertical Launch System (VLS). The missile was guided by ASELSAN’s GÜDÜ data link during the midcourse phase and then used its onboard seeker for terminal guidance. This combination of guidance, data-link, and seeker technologies demonstrates Türkiye’s ability to integrate key components within a national naval defence system.

Developed jointly by ASELSAN and TÜBİTAK SAGE, the Göksur product family provides short-range point air defence for surface vessels. It can engage threats such as anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and combat aircraft. Its modular VLS design allows installation on various ship classes, improving system compatibility and adaptability.

The imaging infrared seeker offers benefits in countering low-radar-signature or electronic countermeasure-equipped targets, while the compact VLS configuration allows ships to carry multiple missiles without reducing available deck space. These features increase protection against multi-directional or saturation attacks.

Ahmet Akyol, President and CEO of ASELSAN, said that the Göksur program strengthens Türkiye’s naval self-sufficiency and reduces dependence on external suppliers. He emphasized the importance of the test for advancing domestic missile development, guidance, and sensor technologies.

The Göksur system is expected to move into serial production in the coming years and to be integrated into Turkish Navy platforms such as I-class frigates and future corvettes. It is also being considered for potential export to countries seeking a short-range naval air defence solution built with local support and cost efficiency.

With the Göksur’s successful test, Türkiye becomes one of the few nations developing and deploying its own vertically launched air defence missiles, supporting its long-term goal of technological independence in defence production.