WDS 2026: Türkiye Introduces EREN High-Speed Loitering Munition for Rapid Strike Missions.

Roketsan presented its EREN loitering munition outside Türkiye for the first time at the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, following its debut at IDEF 2025 in Istanbul. The system reflects Türkiye’s continued push to position itself as a leading exporter of high-speed, multi-role unmanned strike systems.

Exhibited from February 8 to 12 at the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, Roketsan’s EREN loitering munition marked its first international appearance after being unveiled at IDEF 2025 in Istanbul. Developed in Türkiye, the high-speed, multi-role system is designed for deployment across air, land, and naval platforms, offering operators a flexible precision strike option against time-sensitive targets. Company officials describe EREN as compact and modular, enabling integration with helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, armored vehicles, and surface vessels with minimal modification.
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Türkiye’s Roketsan debuts the EREN loitering munition internationally at World Defense Show 2026, expanding its export footprint. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Developed in less than one year from concept phase to an operational configuration, EREN features a missile-like airframe while retaining the employment logic of a loitering munition. The system is approximately 2 meters in length, 160 millimeters in diameter, and weighs around 35 kilograms, facilitating integration on unmanned systems and mobile ground platforms. Propulsion is provided by a turbojet engine, enabling an operational range exceeding 100 kilometers and an endurance of approximately 15 minutes. This propulsion choice prioritizes higher speed and extended reach compared to electrically powered loitering munitions.

The guidance package combines an inertial navigation system with Global Navigation Satellite System support and an imaging infrared seeker. The IIR seeker incorporates artificial intelligence algorithms designed for automatic target recognition, allowing the munition to detect, identify, and track targets during the terminal phase. According to the manufacturer, this configuration enables engagement of fixed ground targets, personnel concentrations, opportunity targets, and low-speed aerial platforms such as helicopters or unmanned aerial vehicles.

EREN is designed for launch from multiple platforms. It can be integrated on fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters, as well as on ground vehicles, land-based systems, and naval platforms. During its earlier presentation at IDEF 2025, Roketsan displayed two launcher configurations: one mounted on a pickup truck and another in a containerized format. The containerized configuration may incorporate an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar for detection and tracking of slow-moving aerial targets, extending potential use cases to short-range air defense scenarios.

The warhead is described as a high-explosive fragmentation type, intended for use against lightly armored and unarmored targets as well as surface objectives. Combined with its stated range, this multi-role capability positions EREN both as a stand-off strike option for unmanned aerial vehicles and as a precision engagement system deployable from ground-based platforms, including autonomous systems.

At World Defense Show 2026, Roketsan presents EREN alongside a broader portfolio that includes MAM family mini smart munitions, anti-tank systems such as KARAOK and OMTAS, cruise missiles including Cakir and SOM, and air defense systems such as SUNGUR, Hisar-O, and Siper. This collective display reflects the company’s approach of offering capabilities spanning from lightweight precision munitions to long-range air and missile defense systems.

Serial production of EREN is planned for 2026, with priority given to the requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces while also targeting friendly and allied export markets. By combining turbojet propulsion, infrared sensing, and automated target recognition functions, Roketsan positions EREN in a segment between lightweight loitering munitions and larger cruise missiles. Its presence in Riyadh underscores the company’s intention to expand its international exposure and to compete in a market characterized by the growing deployment of unmanned systems and long-range precision strike capabilities.