The number and variety of mini/micro UAVs have increased rapidly in recent years, posing a serious danger to civilian and military strategic facilities in the hands of malicious users. In order to eliminate this threat, various countermeasure systems are being developed.
Based on this need, ASELSAN developed the Air Defense System to Prevent Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (İHTAR).
İHTAR allows the protection of public areas and commercial areas against illegal activities of micro and mini UAVs.
The İHTAR Mini/Micro-UAV Interception System, which was designed to perform its activities reliably under difficult working conditions, was put into the service of security forces, elements that ensure the security of public and commercial areas.
Detecting UAVs, automatically tracking them, marking them as threats and preventing their illegal activities with the most appropriate countermeasures are the basic functions of the İHTAR System. In order to use the most effective countermeasure in terms of security, the İHTAR System enables radar, camera and interceptors to work in an integrated and coordinated manner with command and control capabilities.
The İHTAR System consists of radar and cameras for the detection, tracking and diagnosis of the threat, electronic jamming and deception systems for the prevention of the threat, and command and control systems that enable all these systems to work in an integrated manner.
The radar in the system enables the detection and tracking of multiple threats. The İHTAR System makes use of mixing and deception systems to prevent threats. Radar and cameras can be used in all kinds of environments and weather conditions.
Diversified grenade launcher and laser weapons
In order to increase its effectiveness, ASELSAN added physical destruction methods as well as signal jamming and deception solutions to the system.
İHTAR, which is integrated with a 40 millimeter grenade launcher, enables targets to be neutralized with high-speed smart ammunition after automatic target detection with advanced electro-optical cameras.
Another physical destruction method of İHTAR was the laser weapon system. Thanks to the heat generated on the target by the laser weapon system, melting and burning occurs in the outer surface, electronic parts and battery part of the UAVs. If there is explosive material on the target, faster effectiveness can be achieved by destroying the explosive material.
Guardian of critical facilities
With these capabilities, İHTAR is used for the safety of critical facilities in urban and rural environments, border security against illegal infiltration and protection of crowded organizations.
Two contracts were signed last year to meet the need to protect the Presidency against mini/micro UAV threats for İHTAR, which attracted attention both in Turkey and abroad. In a short time, the İHTAR System integrated into 6 vehicles and the İHTAR systems deployed to the campuses within the Presidency National Palaces started to work.
Three contracts were signed to protect the strategically important TÜPRAŞ and TPAO refineries and Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant against mini/micro UAV threats. Deliveries to companies serving in the energy sector will be completed this year.
The JARMOL High Power Laser Weapon System, developed with TÜBİTAK BİLGEM in line with the needs of the Gendarmerie General Command, has also been made ready for duty.
The ŞAHİN 40 millimeter Physical Destruction System, which can operate integrated with the İHTAR System, entered the Turkish Armed Forces inventory, and the first export contract was signed in the second half of 2022.
Contracts were signed with countries such as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Kyrgyzstan, Niger and Angola for İHTAR, which also attracted attention abroad.
