Ateş Serbest-2026 activities, conducted to demonstrate the Turkish Armed Forces' superior firepower, the capabilities of indigenous and national systems, its high coordination capability and operational effectiveness, have concluded. The exercise held in Polatlı was a comprehensive event in which national systems were field-tested across a broad spectrum, from air defence to electronic warfare, and from unmanned ground vehicles to kamikaze UAVs.
KORKUT and TOLGA in Air Defence
ASELSAN's KORKUT Close-In Air Defence System successfully destroyed kamikaze UAV targets within the scope of the exercise. MKE's 20 kW Fibre Laser Weapon System, meanwhile, struck a drone target at a distance of 760 metres with pinpoint accuracy. ASELSAN's systems spanning from air defence to electronic warfare, such as Korkut and Ejderha, demonstrated their superior capabilities during the exercise.
Unmanned Systems: SİVRİSİNEK, AYAZ and KARGU
SİVRİSİNEK, the artificial intelligence-based smart loitering munition developed by Baykar, achieved a critical success during the exercise. T129 ATAK helicopters destroyed an enemy kamikaze UAV in the air with a 20 mm cannon. The L-UMTAS and CİRİT missiles fired by the ATAK during the exercise also successfully struck their targets. STM's KARGU kamikaze UAV swarm showered the target with shrapnel. TUSAŞ's jet-powered kamikaze UAV, AYAZ, was captured on camera for the first time at the defence industry exhibition held within the scope of the exercise.
Unmanned Ground Vehicles in the Field
ASELSAN's compact reconnaissance-surveillance and armed support platform ASLAN, HAVELSAN's multi-role armed and autonomous mission platform BARKAN, and TEKATRON's high-payload-capacity PALEM demonstrated their capabilities during the exercise. Alongside the UKSS, PALEM provides higher firepower with weapon systems such as ROKETSAN's Karaok.
Land Systems and Other Elements
At the exercise continuing in Polatlı, national sniper rifles, BORAN and 8x8 PANTER howitzers, and the shoulder-launched anti-tank KARAOK made an appearance. Casualty evacuation was carried out by the unmanned vehicle PALEM.
The Strategic Significance of the Exercise
Ateş Serbest-2026 carries importance in demonstrating the point Türkiye has reached in its defence industry. The systems tested during the exercise revealed the operational maturity of the indigenous solutions in the Turkish Armed Forces inventory. The footage shared following the conclusion of the activity reflected the firing performance and coordination capability of national systems.
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