After Russia, Turkey Announces 100Km Loitering Munition

Turkey’s defense firm Roketsan has announced the Eren turbojet engine-powered high-speed loitering munition with a range of more than 100 kilometers, shortly after Russia revealed a similar long-range system.

The Eren can be launched from unmanned aerial vehicles, various helicopters, and ground-based platforms. The system is designed to engage low-speed aerial targets as well as moving and stationary maritime and land targets.

Eren has an endurance of 15 minutes and weighs about 35 kilograms. It has a diameter of 160 millimeters and a length of 2 meters. The munition will enter serial production with the TEI TJ90U engine. Roketsan states that the system is fully engineered domestically.

The munition uses a GPS-aided inertial navigation system, an infrared seeker, and an artificial intelligence-supported electro-optical seeker for guidance. It also features man-in-the-loop capability, allowing operators to monitor the target in real time and guide the munition during flight.

According to the company, Eren can neutralize UAVs, helicopters, and other aerial vehicles, as well as maritime and land targets within its 100-kilometer-plus range using a multi-purpose warhead. It is capable of loitering over a target area for reconnaissance and includes dive abort, target update, and self-destruct functions.

Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern recently unveiled the KUB-10ME tactical guided munition with a range exceeding 100 km, describing it as the first of its kind developed in the country and based on lessons from Ukraine.