The Turks recently announced that they achieved a technological breakthrough in the field of air weapons by developing and testing their guidance system, which converts conventional “dumb” bombs into “smart” bombs capable of being used by F-16 fighters.

This development is related to the Turkish defense industry’s efforts to gain full autonomy in the field of high-precision weapons and reduce dependence on imported systems. For many years, the F-16s of the Turkish Air Force, like other aircraft in the world, used conventional bombs of the Mark-82 type that simply fall freely from the aircraft and are guided only by their free fall. The Turkish solution – it says – changes this dimension.

The development is based on an instruction set known as GÖZDE, which is produced by the Turkish company Aselsan in cooperation with the TÜBİTAK SAGE research institute. This kit includes an inertial navigation system, a satellite guidance system and a laser sensor for terminal guidance. When mounted on a conventional Mk-82 bomb, it transforms this payload into a weapon capable of hitting both stationary and moving targets with very high accuracy. Success in recent tests includes achieving a full hit on a moving target, something that until now has been the preserve of more advanced guidance systems.

The test was conducted with a Turkish Air Force F-16 that launched a GÖZDE-equipped bomb against a controlled target at high speed. This demonstration shows not only the new system’s ability to guide the bomb to its target, but also its full integration with Turkish fighter jets. It is this indication that the guidance system is integrated with the existing Mark-82 weapons, which are the backbone of the 500-pound general bombs used internationally for decades.

This move has deeper strategic implications. For years, Turkey has invested significant resources to develop weapons systems with indigenous technology, from SOM missiles to defense radars and helicopters. GÖZDE and other new instruction sets such as GÖKÇE show gradual evolution and are part of a wider effort by TÜBİTAK SAGE to increase domestic experience and technology in precision strikes. The same research and manufacturing base has also enabled Turkey to develop air-to-air missiles and other weapons systems that can be integrated into Turkish-made F-16s and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The ability to use this type of equipment allows Turkish F-16s to perform high-precision missions without always needing more expensive or complex weapons, reducing costs and expanding the flexibility of operational options. At the same time, this progress improves the autonomy of the Turkish military and strengthens Turkey’s position in the global arms market, as these systems can also be offered to foreign customers in the future. /tesheshi.com/

Source: prizrenpost