Turkey Developing Missile Defense System Resembling Israel's Iron Dome

Turkey is developing a new missile defense system Korkut that resembles Israel’s Iron Dome, to prevent IS militant’s rocket attacks.

Turkish system Korkut is a self-propelled air-defense gun system developed by Aselsan, a Turkish corporation that produces military radios and defense electronic systems.

The Israeli defense system has proved to be successful against rockets fired by Hamas in the Gaza Strip against Israeli towns. Similarly, the Turkish system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets fired from distances of 4 to 70 kilometers.

The system has been in the development process for the last 18 months and will be in the test phase this week before being deployed to stop IS Katyusha rockets, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik was quoted as saying by Voice of America.

“It has not been easy for us to intervene IS’s short-range Katyushas,” said Isik in an interview with CNN Turk. However the new system will “neutralize Katyushas,” Isik added.

The Korkut weapon can fire 1,100 rounds per minute and will destroy rockets before they hit the ground, Ilker Akgungor Defense Journalist said.

“Turkey, which is speeding up the production process of a defense system, is also developing early warning, countermortar radar, and surface-to-air missile systems,” said Abdullah Agar a defense expert.

The systems are designed to augment a weapons shield system. “These new weapons have given good results in the laboratories, but whether they will yield the required results on real attacks is yet to be seen,” he said.

“The systems of the U.S. and Israel were used in land operations. But there is no guarantee that those systems yield results 100 percent," Agar said.

Over the past year, rocket fire has pummeled Turkish border towns from IS positions inside northern Syria. The southern town of Kilis has endured sustained attacks, killing at least 21 people, destroying entire neighborhoods and prompting residents to flee their homes.