Turkey's Stinger Competitor ‘Sungur’ Enters Army Inventory

Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) have taken delivery of the first batch of Sungur Weapon System, a portable air defense missile system designed to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), jets and helicopters.

Presidency of Defense Industry (SSB) head Ismail Demir said in a post on Twitter that the newly-inducted, Roketsan-developed missile can be shot from the shoulder of a single soldier. It can be used in the short-range air defense of mobile/fixed units and facilities on the battlefield and in the rear area. Another older variant was designed to be compatible with different platform integrations.

Developed by Roketsan, the Sungur is similar in capabilities to the U.S.-made Stinger man-portable air defense system (MANPADS). Stinger short-range surface-to-air missiles can shoot down both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft in flight. They detect targets through radiation emissions. Like the Sungur, they are designed to be fired while mounted on a person’s shoulder or a tripod. While MANPADS are deployed for air defense, the American Javelins are used to destroy tanks, armor and helicopters. They, too, come equipped with an infrared sensor so the missile can make adjustments mid-air to find its target.

“The Sungur Weapon System offers a longer range than its counterparts and stands out with its Imaging Infrared Seeker Head, which is resistant to countermeasures and offers the opportunity to lock on to the enemy elements from a longer distance than the eye can see,” Demir wrote.

Sungur’s missile has an 8-km range. While the missile system increases the accuracy of targets hit with its Imaging Infrared Seeker (IIR) technology, it also has an important advantage in the destruction of air targets with its warhead, which has higher explosive power than a similar system available in the inventory.

Its propulsion system, which enables it to be more effective at a longer range than its counterparts, and the use of sights, which allow the user to detect and view the target from a long distance before firing, are other technologies that increase the effectiveness and accuracy of the missile.

Having the Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System, Sungur also offers various advantages to the user with its ability to lock onto the target before firing and fire-forget.

Roketsan is currently continuing with the system’s integration with sea and air platforms, while it was already integrated into the tactical wheeled armored vehicle Vuran as a land platform in a short period of three months.