IDEF, which has become an important promotion, marketing, and collaboration platform in the defense and security sectors, opened its doors for the 16th time this year.
Under the patronage of the Presidency, hosted by the Ministry of National Defense of Türkiye, and under the management and responsibility of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TSKGV), the fair is organized by Tüyap All Fair Organization Inc and held at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center.
Sarsılmaz, showcasing its new products at the fair, introduced the promotion of SARBOT, an autonomous weapon system that represents a significant milestone on its new roadmap as a "technology brand focused on the defense industry."
SARBOT, which is anticipated to have various applications with different payloads, has been undergoing development to provide additional capabilities. It was publicly revealed for the first time last year at the SAHA Expo Defense, Aerospace, and Space Industry Fair and is now being presented at IDEF.
Sarsılmaz's autonomous weapon systems were also introduced.
During the meeting held at the Sarsılmaz booth within the scope of IDEF'23, Öner Özyılmaz, Deputy General Manager of Sarsılmaz, made statements regarding the subject. He said that with its 143-year history, Sarsılmaz had been pioneering in Türkiye's defense industry and would always lead innovations. At this fair, Sarsılmaz showcased Türkiye's defense industry innovations.
Özyılmaz also provided information about the new products they exhibited at the fair, stating:
"Our 25-millimeter land cannon produced in collaboration with TUSAŞ, our autonomous system SARBOT, which we launched today, our 5.56 machine gun, and our weapon-integrated drone are among the products on display. In addition to our other well-established products, we are presenting our SAR 2023 pistol, produced in limited quantities for the 100th anniversary of our Republic, to the users here in honor of the Republic's centennial. Together, we will observe Sarsılmaz's growth with autonomous weapon systems at this point where technology has arrived."
"SARBOT has over 75% domestic content."
Öner Özyılmaz emphasized that they had introduced the first version of SARBOT at SAHA Expo, where they had presented a vision for the robot structure as a relatively new product.
He further highlighted that the new SARBOT they were introducing today had over 75% domestic content, including all software, mechanical components, and electronics developed in-house. When the remaining structures are localized, it would achieve 100% domestic content. He stated:
"All software, mechanical components, and electronics are our own development. As we localize the remaining components, it will be entirely domestically produced. We have taken significant steps in recent times. We have two separate teams working in both Ankara and Istanbul, developing different payloads. Therefore, we will not only use the SARBOT as a weapon platform but also for various other purposes. Today, we will witness a much more advanced version of it here."
The autonomous weapon system stands out as a critical project.
SARBOT, which is one of the most important milestones in Sarsılmaz's roadmap as a "technology brand focused on the defense industry," was first introduced to the public at the SAHA Expo Defense, Aerospace, and Space Industry Fair last year.
Established as a Sarsılmaz initiative with the vision of bringing advanced technologies to the country and developing value-added products, the "LA2 Dynamics" company continues its efforts in developing legged robots without interruption. SARBOT, developed under the research and development efforts of LA2 Dynamics and Sarsılmaz, stands out as the first prototype of a 4-legged robot.
Designed to have various applications with different payloads and undergoing continuous development to add additional capabilities, SARBOT draws attention as a critical project with its advanced technology hardware and software, which allows for updates according to needs.
SAR 2023 was produced in limited quantities.
The SAR 2023 pistol, which was introduced to the public at the International Defense Industry Fair and produced in limited numbers for the 100th anniversary of the Republic, also met with visitors.
SAR 2023, which embodies Sarsılmaz's belief in the future of the Republic, its experience, its aim to become a global brand, and its vision, stands as a symbol and a special gift from the company to celebrate the Republic's 100th anniversary.
With its design incorporating highly distinctive symbolic elements that emphasize the 100-year history of the Republic, SAR 2023 holds value as a collector's item due to its unique features and limited production numbers.
The 25-millimeter artillery system also received significant attention.
Among Sarsılmaz's standout products at the fair was the 25-millimeter artillery system.
Developed as part of the contract signed between the Defense Industry Presidency and TR Mekatronik, a partnership between Sarsılmaz and TUSAŞ, the 25-millimeter artillery system was designed to fire NATO-standard 25x137 mm ammunition.
The chain mechanism system features both rapid and slow firing modes, capable of firing 200 rounds per minute. Designed and produced by Turkish engineers, the 25-millimeter artillery system can be utilized in manned or remotely-controlled weapon turrets on land and sea platforms.
As a part of the weapon system, the "gun control unit" is equipped with hardware and software infrastructure to report fired round count, jamming, misfires, and device malfunctions. All controls on the platform to which the weapon system is connected are also carried out through the gun control unit.
The weapon-integrated drone received great admiration.
Among the highly regarded Sarsılmaz products at the fair was the SAR 15T integrated armed drone, Songar, developed in collaboration with Asis Guard.
From design to production, software to weapon systems, Songar bears the signature of Turkish engineers and offers both autonomous and manual flight modes. It can also conduct autonomous flights with its route planning feature alongside the ground control station (GCS).
As a domestically developed and national armed drone, Songar has a flight range of 5 kilometers and a flight altitude of up to 300 meters. In critical battery level or loss of connection situations, it activates its return-to-home mode. The drone can remain airborne for approximately 25 minutes, and its weapon system, signed by Sarsılmaz, offers an approximate firing range of 400 meters with a caliber of 7.62 millimeters.
The SAR 556 light machine gun was also showcased.
Among Sarsılmaz's newly developed products and displayed at IDEF'23, the SAR 556 light machine gun was designed not only for infantry use but also for special operations units in urban areas.
Using NATO-standard 5.56-millimeter ammunition, this light machine gun is a result of Sarsılmaz's extensive experience and expertise accumulated over the years.
With a user-friendly design, the SAR 556 is equipped with technical capabilities that can meet the needs of different conditions, both on the battlefield and in urban environments. It will significantly contribute to the Turkish Armed Forces' domestic and national weapons inventory.
