Turkey Develops Infrared Search and Tracking System For Upcoming MMU Aircraft

Turkey’s ASELSAN unveiled KARAT, an Infrared Search and Tracking System for the National Combat Aircraft (MMU) TF-X at Teknofest Istanbul.

Infrared search and tracking systems are very critical electro-optical systems to contribute to the low visibility features of 5th generation warplanes and to provide passive search capability. ASELSAN is also developing TOYGUN infrared search and targeting systems for the MMU, Turkish state media reported today.

The KARAT will be located in front of the cockpit of the National Combat Aircraft, behind a special window with a reduced radar cross section. With KARAT, the National Combat Aircraft will be able to detect enemy warplanes passively without active broadcasting with its radar. Together with KARAT, the National Combat Aircraft will be the first 5th Generation fighter aircraft with a fully infrared search system.

In the F-35, which can be compared, the air-to-air infrared search function is performed with the TOYGUN equivalent EOTS sensor system under the nose of the aircraft. KARAT will both perform better than EOTS and, as it is a discrete sensor, it will enable the National Combat Aircraft to attack land targets at the same time.

KARAT will be equipped with an infrared detector operating in the LWIR band, thus enabling target detection at long ranges. KARAT will have multi-target tracking, wide scanning area, low scanning time and imaging capabilities with narrow/wide angles.

On the one hand, the TOYGUN electro-optical sensor system project developed by ASELSAN for the National Combat Aircraft and Kızılelma continues. With its MWIR infrared main sensor with a resolution of 1280×1024 pixels, TOYGUN will play a role in meeting the air-to-ground targeting needs of our low-visibility aircraft.

TOYGUN will also be able to perform laser marking at a wavelength of 1064 nm, accurate laser range finding up to a distance of at least 35 km, laser spot tracking for detection and tracking of a target marked by another platform, and internal alignment according to thermal imagery. The system will have the ability to calculate the coordinates of a target on the ground with the support of internal GPS / external INS / platform navigation data / internal inertial measurement unit.

TOYGUN and KARAT will have a special sensor fusion system that is not found in their National Combat Aircraft counterparts. Making infrared search and targeting systems with separate sensors will enable the aircraft to attack ground targets while searching against air targets. TOYGUN and KARAT will also work together with the 360-degree infrared imaging system on the National Combat Aircraft.