The “Invisible Fortress” in the Sky is Ready for Duty: Technical Anatomy of the Gökçeri Aerostat System, Produced by Only 9 Countries in the World

The Turkish defence industry has extended its global dominance in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the strategic “Lighter-Than-Air Vehicles” segment. The “Gökçeri Aerostat System”, which was developed by Türkport as a result of an eight-year R&D marathon and all critical subsystems were indigenised, has become Turkey's new “Seeing Eye” in the sky, from border security to disaster management. Having surpassed world standards in helium sealing technology, Gökçeri is making a technological difference to its competitors with its fibre optic data line and active wind stabilisation.

Continuous surveillance is one of the greatest needs in the modern battlefield and border security. Although UAVs and UCAVs provide operational flexibility, their flight time is limited by fuel. This is where “Aerostat” (Ground-Bound Balloon) systems come on the scene. These systems, which can hover for weeks and monitor large areas 24/7, offer cost-effective solutions.

However, only 9 countries in the world can produce this technology. Turkey, developed by Turkport Gökçeri not only entered this elite league, but also redefines the standards with the hybrid technologies it has developed.

Here is a comprehensive analysis of the Gökçeri Aerostat System with technical, logistical and operational details.

Operational Revolution: World's First “Fully Mobile” Aerostat

The biggest handicap of aerostat systems in the literature is their cumbersomeness. Their installation takes days and requires huge ground teams. Gökçeri has achieved an engineering success that breaks this paradigm.

• Mission Prep in 4 Hours: The system lands on site as a “Complete Package” in a specially designed container. All processes including pre-flight gas filling, sensor calibration and crane installation are only 4 hours is being finalised.
• Tactical Flexibility: When the mission is completed, it takes four hours for the system to be collected and transferred to another critical area. This transforms Gökçeri into a “Tactical Surveillance Element” that can be transported wherever it is needed (from the border to the disaster area), rather than a fixed outpost balloon.

Summit in Materials Science: He-SET Wall Technology

The most strategic component of an Aerostat is the outer fabric (perimeter) that holds the helium gas that generates tonnes of lift. Türkport engineers, as a result of 8 years of material tests to end foreign dependency He-SET Wall Familyand patented it.

The technical advantages of this domestic composite fabric are as follows:

• Minimum Sealing: While the daily helium leakage rate of commercial competitors is around %1.5-2, He-SET technology %0.5 - 0.8 down to the band.
• Longer Tenure: Reducing the gas leakage reduces the time the balloon stays in the air without refuelling compared to its competitors. %29,2 by a percentage point.
• Confidentiality: The 50 to 160 micron thick multilayer structure absorbs radar waves and reduces the radar cross-sectional area (RCS) to near zero. In addition, visual privacy is provided with semi-transparent or matt coatings.

“Smart” Aerodynamics: Wind Defying Tail System

The biggest enemy of balloon systems is the wind. Gökçeri is more than a passive balloon, it is an active aircraft that fights the wind. Patented integrated into the system Tail Rotor (Tail Motor) technology is one of the biggest innovations that distinguishes Gökçeri from its competitors.

• Active Stabilisation: Sensors on the system measure the direction and intensity of the wind in milliseconds and send commands to the tail engines.
• 400N Thrust: The engines, which can produce thrust from 80 Newton to 400 Newton, always position the nose of the balloon against the wind.
• %38 Daha Dayanıklı: Thanks to this active steering system and 3-layer hull structure, Gökçeri's wind resistance is higher than its commercial competitors. %38,3 by a third. This means uninterrupted surveillance even in stormy weather.

Data Security and Fibre Optic Communication

In the modern electronic warfare environment, wireless signals sent from the air carry the risk of “Jamming” or resting. Gökçeri eliminated this risk with a physical solution.

The rope that connects the aircraft to the ground and carries tonnes of load was redesigned by Turkish engineers.

• Fibre Optic Cores: Fibre optic bristles (from 1 to 4) placed in the carrier string transfer terabytes of data to the Ground Control Station (GCS) at the speed of light and without loss.
• Immunity to Jamming: Veri, kablo üzerinden aktığı için dışarıdan sinyal karıştırması yapılamıyor. Sistem %100 güvenli bir “Hard-Line” bağlantıya sahip.
• Reduced Strength: Ar-Ge çalışmalarıyla ipin ağırlığı %28,7 oranında hafifletilirken, kopma dayanımı 35 kN (Kilonewton) seviyesine çıkarıldı.

Energy and Logistics Efficiency: Self-Sufficient System

Gökçeri was equipped with hybrid energy and recovery systems to reduce operating costs and increase sustainability.

• Solar Panels: Balonun sırt kısmına entegre edilen, metrekare ağırlığı %24,6 hafifletilmiş esnek güneş panelleri, sistemin enerji ihtiyacını karşılıyor ve Li-Ion bataryaları şarj ediyor.
• Domestic Helium Compressor: The mobile helium compressor, developed as a first in the world, vacuum fills the expensive helium gas in the balloon back into the cylinders at the end of the mission. This technology dramatically reduces operational costs by preventing helium loss.

Mission Profile: Bird's Eye View from 1,500 Metres

Gökçeri, depending on the location 120 metres to 1,500 metres (AGL) between altitudes. This altitude gives the system a tremendous “Line of Sight” (LoS) advantage.

Integrated Payloads and Usage Areas:

1. Border Security (ISR): Day/night border line monitoring with electro-optical cameras (Aselsan CATS, ASELFLIR etc.), detection of illegal crossings and terrorist elements.
2. Disaster Communication: Providing mobile communication to a wide area with base stations (Turkcell/Türk Telekom modules) installed on it when GSM networks collapse during an earthquake.
3. Electronic Warfare (EW): Listening (interception), threat detection and jamming of enemy radio and radar signals.
4. Forest Fire Surveillance: Monitoring forested areas with thermal cameras and reporting the slightest temperature change to the centre.

Brain Trust Indigenous Avionics and Software

All control of the system is entrusted to domestic software and hardware developed by Türkport.

• NATO Standard NWO: The Ground Control Station software with a user-friendly interface combines pilotage and payload management on a single screen.
• Avionics Card Family: STM32-based control cards, power management modules and sensor cards were produced and integrated into the system in accordance with ISO 27001 and AS 9100 quality standards.

Gökçeri Turkey's Sentinel in the Sky

Going beyond import substitution and becoming an exportable brand with its technologies, Gökçeri proves Turkey's depth in the defence industry. With its cost-effective structure, its ability to stay in the air 24/7 and its altitude that leaves no “blind spots”, Gökçeri can be deployed in a wide range of areas, from border patrols to offshore drillships, from disaster areas to critical facility protection.

Gökçeri Aerostat Technical Specifications Table