Modern warfare throws everything at aircraft, from heat-seeking missiles to portable ground systems. Turkey’s YILDIRIM 100, a directed infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) system by ASELSAN, meets the challenge head on, putting the defense company among the big boys. It goes beyond traditional flare-based defenses, using laser precision to outsmart missiles, protecting aircraft in contested skies.
The YILDIRIM 100 is a silent guardian, mountable on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Its job is to counter infrared-guided missiles that target an aircraft’s engines. Instead of destroying them, the system emits multi-band laser pulses to confuse the missile’s seeker head, disrupting its guidance system. By flooding the seeker with precisely tuned light, YILDIRIM 100 makes the missile lose its target and veer off course.
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The system’s strength is in its dual-turret design. Each turret has a high-power laser and a precision tracking unit, so it can detect and counter multiple threats at the same time. Advanced sensors scan the skies continuously, feeding data to an integrated control unit that talks to missile warning systems, whether ultraviolet or infrared-based. This means reactions in milliseconds, with laser beams aimed with surgical precision. It can handle multiple missiles at once, making it a game-changer in chaotic combat zones where threats come from all directions.
Efficiency is what sets YILDIRIM 100 apart from older countermeasures. It consumes minimal power for its advanced tech, so it can run for hours without straining an aircraft’s systems. Its compact design and low maintenance requirements make it suitable for modern jets and old fleets. ASELSAN’s integration with NATO-standard warning systems means it’s compatible with Turkey’s allies.
Turkey’s vision goes beyond YILDIRIM 100. ASELSAN is working on YILDIRIM 300, a more advanced version for the KAAN, Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet that will enter production in the early 2030s. This will tackle faster, more sophisticated air-to-air missiles that require more power and speed. YILDIRIM 100 is the proof of concept, showing Turkey can match systems like the US’s CIRCM.
But beyond the tech, YILDIRIM 100 is about Turkey’s drive for self-sufficiency. ASELSAN marks its 50th anniversary in 2025 and designed all major parts of the system domestically, a source of national pride as Turkey reduces its dependence on foreign technology. Tested in live-fire and in Turkey’s helicopter fleets, with plans for the KAAN, this is a strategic goal: defend its skies and export this tech to its allies.
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