SUNGUR can provide low-altitude, short-range air defence to mobile and fixed units and facilities in the battlefield and in the hinterland. In the firing tests conducted in February, 2021, it has succeeded in destroying a high-speed air target with a direct hit at the maximum range and altitude. The system can easily provide support to deploying units thanks to its mobility, and while the qualification process for its serial production line is ongoing, the completion of ground tests and flight tests is anticipated for the short term.
The 8 km range air defence missile used in the system is the primary feature distinguishing SUNGUR from its peers. The missile system provides significant advantages in the destruction of air targets, featuring a warhead with an explosive power higher than that of similar systems in the inventory, and Imaging Infrared Seeker (IIR) technologies that maximise precision. The propulsion system, which ensures that the missile is more effective than its equivalents, even at longer ranges; and the sight, which allows 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.
The Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System allows for updates to the target, and SUNGUR offers various other advantages to the user with its target locking and fire-and-forget capabilities in the pre-firing department. SUNGUR, which can be integrated with the Air Defence Early Warning and C4I System (HERİKKS-6), can thus perform a fully integrated mission with other units in the battlefield.
As the efforts for its integration into naval and air platforms are underway, in order to satisfy urgent needs of TAF, the missile system has been integrated into the land platform VURAN, Tactical Wheeled Armoured Vehicle, in just 3 months. Standing out from its peers with its high manoeuvrability, SUNGUR’s potential targets include fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
| Technical Specifications of the SUNGUR Weapon System | |
| Maximum Effective Range | 8 km |
| Minimum Effective Range | 500 m |
| Effective Altitude | Up to 4 km (sea level) |
| Seeker | IIR* |
| Reaction Time | < 5 sec |
*IIR: Imaging Infrared Seeker
