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Shocking the World! Türkiye Tests Its Most Advanced IŞIK Laser Weapon

In a significant advancement for its domestic defense industry, Turkey has successfully tested and received the new IŞIK High Power Laser System (“IŞIK Yüksek Güçlü Lazer Sistemi”). This system, developed by TÜBİTAK BİLGEM (Information Security and Advanced Technologies Branch of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) in collaboration with ASELSAN, represents a major step forward in Turkey's ambition to develop indigenous directed energy weapons.

Power & Capabilities.
The IŞIK system uses a 20-kilowatt (kW) laser source. The system has a soft-kill mode effective up to 5 km for disrupting optical or electro-optical sensors, and a hard-kill mode capable of physically damaging or destroying targets up to 1.5 km away.

The system reportedly achieves an 85% domestic production rate, meaning most of its components and subsystems are developed in Türkiye. IŞIK is built with a modular design, allowing for future upgrades to higher power levels (100 kW or more) and adaptation to various platforms.

Integration & Targeting
ASELSAN provides the target tracking/acquisition subsystem, enabling precise targeting, and the system is designed to integrate with other defense networks.

Test & Acceptance Phase.
On September 25, 2025, the IŞIK system completed its final acceptance tests at the test site in Kırıkkale, Turkey. Lethality tests were conducted, including impact with a 3 mm steel plate moving at a speed of approximately 20 m/s. Glare (sensor interference) tests were conducted on the UAV's optical system (camera sensor).

The Ministry of Industry and Technology, through Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, publicly confirmed the success of the tests and highlighted the potential operational readiness of IŞIK. This testing milestone means that IŞIK is no longer just a research project or prototype; it has reached a level of maturity consistent with potential real-world applications.

The IŞIK system is not Turkey's first foray into laser or directed energy weapons. Previous systems and projects include ARMOL (Vehicle-Mounted Fiber Laser System), one of Turkey's earlier national laser systems, incorporating a low-power laser (≈1.25 kW) mounted on an armored vehicle (Cobra).

JARMOL, developed by TÜBİTAK BİLGEM and deployed to the Gendarmerie, uses a 5 kW single-mode fiber laser integrated on a Kirpi armored vehicle. The system has been tested against UAVs and small air threats.

GÖKBERK, a mobile laser weapon developed by ASELSAN, tested in 2025, automatically detects, tracks, and neutralizes FPV drones at ranges of up to ~1,200 meters.

This system is part of Turkey's layered or tiered approach to air and UAV defense strategy (sometimes referred to in the media as part of the "Steel Dome" concept).

In many ways, IŞIK builds on previous developments: combining higher power, better optics, and more advanced targeting and integration capabilities into a more capable system.

Given the widespread use of drones (for reconnaissance, strikes, long-range reconnaissance, and kamikaze missions), having a tool that is precise and responsive is invaluable. Dazzle mode can blind sensors; forceful kill mode can neutralize small aerial threats before they pose a threat.

Because lasers operate at the speed of light, the attack delay is minimal (except for sensor and pointing delays). IŞIK can protect installations (air bases, command centers, critical infrastructure) from drone attacks or reconnaissance.

In maritime or coastal defense, the system can be deployed on naval vessels or coastal platforms to counter swarms of drones or small unmanned aerial vehicles. Lasers are not a substitute for missiles or guns, but they can serve as a complementary layer, particularly effective for low-cost threats that would be expensive to counter with missiles.

Economically, the "cost per shot" of a laser system (electricity + wear and tear) tends to be lower than missile expenditures, especially for small or recurring threats. Demonstrating a high-powered domestic laser weapon enhances Turkey's technological prestige and may have geopolitical signaling value.

It reduces dependence on foreign systems in sensitive technological domains. Lasers degrade over long distances due to scattering, absorption, turbulence, dust, humidity, and weather (fog, rain). Achieving consistent performance at maximum range (5 km blinding, 1.5 km lethal) under all environmental conditions is a challenge.


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