Turkey's Akinci Drone Fitted With ASELFLIR-500T Targeting Pod Hits Moving Target at Sea

Turkey's Akinci Drone, equipped with the ASELFLIR-500T targeting pod, hit a moving target at sea during its first firing test.

Developed by Aselsan, the ASELFLIR-500 targeting pod was tested at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Tekirdağ's Çorlu district.

During the test, the Bayraktar Akinci drone, manufactured by Baykar, effectively destroyed the Albatros IDA sailing on the sea using the ASELFLIR-500 Electro-Optical Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Targeting System, which is a national development by Aselsan.

As detailed by Aselsan, the ASELFLIR-500 is an advanced electro-optical reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting system designed for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aerial platforms, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), helicopters, and airplanes. The system features a primary mirror diameter of 220 mm, providing a common aperture for various cameras and sensors.

The HD IR camera offers a sensor resolution of 1280x1024 with a wide range of field of views (FOVs) from 0.86° to 25°, operating in the 3-5 μm wavelength range. The HD Day TV camera provides a high resolution of 4096x2880 with continuous zoom between 3.2° and 30°, and the HD SWIR camera offers a resolution of 1280x1024 with FOVs ranging from 0.66° to 1.1°.

Equipped with a laser range finder and target designator with a wavelength of 1064 nm, the ASELFLIR-500 system has a range of up to 35 km. It also features a laser pointer with wavelengths of 808 nm and NIR/SWIR, compatible with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs). The communication interface includes RS-422 and MIL-STD-1553B, while the video interface offers 4x SMPTE-292M HD-SDI (1920x1080p) and 2x PAL. The power interface operates on 28 VDC.

Key highlights of the ASELFLIR-500 include its compact and lightweight design, incorporating artificial intelligence-based image processing solutions for thermal and Day TV channels. The system is a single-LRU (Line-Replaceable Unit) configuration, ensuring ease of integration. It offers superior range performance, accurate target geo-location, and determination of the course and speed of moving targets. The inclusion of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) enables accurate stabilization, and the system can operate in very low temperatures at high altitudes. With advanced image processing capabilities, multi-target tracking, and simultaneous tracking on IR, Day TV, and SWIR videos, the ASELFLIR-500 stands as a versatile and high-performance solution for various aerial platforms.