Killer of drones and cruise missiles: Turkey delivers Korkut anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine
Turkey's defense industry giant, the Aselsan concern, has handed over a batch of Korkut self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery systems designed to shoot down short-range air targets to Ukraine. This was reported by the influential Middle East-focused portal Middle East Eye, citing military sources.
According to the publication, by supplying these weapons, Ankara aims to test its national military-industrial complex products in intense real combat conditions and assess their actual combat effectiveness.
How does the Korkut system work and what is it capable of?
The Korkut system was specially developed to effectively combat drones and low-flying missiles, which have become the main threat of modern warfare:
System composition: One full Korkut battery consists of three combat firing vehicles and one mobile command-and-control post (radar unit);
Armament and strike power: The combat vehicles are armed with 35 mm twin automatic cannons, which create a solid wall of destruction in the air using a rapid-fire system and special fragmentation shells;
Target category: The system is highly effective for destroying kamikaze drones (UAVs), helicopters, low-flying cruise missiles, and high-precision air-to-surface munitions at close range.
Volume and geopolitical interests
Sources note that Aselsan delivered a "not very large quantity" of these systems to Ukraine this year, though the exact number of handed-over complexes has not been disclosed for security reasons:
Strengthening air defense: The Turkish side expects these modern devices to serve as an important additional shield in defending cities and strategic facilities from drone attacks;
Export potential: Positive indicators achieved in shooting down drones on the real battlefield will sharply increase the standing of Korkut systems in the international arms market in the future.
NATO exercises in the Aegean and Black Seas
Turkey's regional activity is not limited to defense trade alone. As reported earlier, Ankara is hosting NATO's large-scale international mine clearance naval exercises "Nusret" in the Aegean and Black Sea basins from October 6 to October 16.
Alongside international allies, Ukrainian military representatives are also participating as official observers in these naval maneuvers. This further strengthens Turkey's strategic role as a leading and balancing mediator in the Black Sea security architecture.
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