Turkish Navy’s TCG Istanbul Frigate Achieves First Live Target Kill With Hisar-D RF Air Defense System.

On August 15, 2025, the Turkish Navy successfully conducted a live-fire test of the indigenously developed Hisar-D RF air defense missile, launched from the national vertical launch system MIDLAS aboard the TCG Istanbul frigate. The test, carried out in the Black Sea near Sinop, marked a milestone in Türkiye’s efforts to build a fully sovereign naval air defense capability. According to Aselsan, the missile destroyed an unmanned aerial vehicle in real combat conditions, demonstrating the operational maturity of the system. This success underscores Ankara’s ability to integrate radars, fire control, guidance, and missile technologies into a unified kill chain without reliance on foreign suppliers.
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By bringing together Roketsan’s missile design, Aselsan’s radar and control technologies, Havelsan’s combat management software, and STM’s integration expertise, Türkiye has proven the feasibility of a fully indigenous vertical launch and interception chain with the Hisar-D RF system (Picture source: Aselsan)

At the heart of the test was the Hisar-D RF itself, a medium-range, medium-altitude air defense missile developed by Roketsan and optimized for naval use. Equipped with an active radar seeker, it is designed to counter a wide range of threats including aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, cruise missiles, and precision-guided munitions. Launched from the MIDLAS vertical launch system, each cell of which can house four interceptors, the missile provides dense defensive coverage for surface combatants. Engagement is coordinated through the integration of Aselsan’s radar and fire control assets with Havelsan’s ADVENT combat management system, achieving a fully indigenous, end-to-end engagement cycle.

The trial was also notable for the concurrent validation of several critical Aselsan subsystems, each playing a distinct role in the engagement. The HİSAR-D Fire Control System served as the command and coordination hub of the intercept sequence, ensuring precise target assignment and engagement management. The CENK 4D search radar, a multifunction AESA system, provided wide-area surveillance and target detection with high resilience against electronic warfare. Complementing it, the AKREP fire control radar delivered high-resolution tracking and engagement support for the missile. At the terminal stage, the AGRAS seeker head guided the interceptor with an indigenous active radar seeker technology, while the GÜDÜ missile data link system ensured real-time communication between the missile and the shipborne systems, enabling dynamic target updates throughout the flight.

The development of the Hisar-D RF for naval deployment has followed a deliberate progression. Initial land-based trials began in 2022, followed by the first shipborne launch from TCG Istanbul in March 2024. The August 2025 test marked the first successful interception of a live aerial target, underscoring rapid progress in Türkiye’s naval missile defense capabilities. This program was born out of necessity after the United States embargoed the supply of the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System, prompting Türkiye’s defense industry to accelerate the development of MIDLAS and adapt it for the İstif-class frigates.

When compared to foreign systems such as the U.S. Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), the Hisar-D RF provides Türkiye with a domestically controlled solution that avoids export restrictions while offering competitive performance. The quad-pack configuration is similar in concept to the ESSM but embedded within a fully national architecture. Strategically, this achievement places Türkiye closer to the capabilities of advanced NATO navies while ensuring autonomy, much as France’s Aster program did for the French and Italian navies in the early 2000s.

Beyond its technical performance, the success carries significant geopolitical weight. By demonstrating the ability to destroy aerial targets with an entirely indigenous system, Türkiye strengthens its deterrence in both the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, regions of growing strategic competition. The integration of Hisar-D RF with MIDLAS is also a stepping stone toward the deployment of more advanced weapons, including the long-range Siper Block I/II air defense system and the Atmaca anti-ship missile, both of which will further enhance Turkish naval power projection.

While budgetary details remain undisclosed, the Hisar-D RF and MIDLAS are core elements of Türkiye’s broader naval modernization under the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB). Contracts have been secured with Roketsan, Aselsan, STM, and Havelsan for integration across the İstif-class frigates and future TF-2000 air defense destroyers. The TCG Istanbul, built at the Istanbul Shipyard Command, is the first vessel to deploy the system, with additional ships expected to follow.

The August 15 test thus confirms more than the operational readiness of a missile: it validates a comprehensive and sovereign naval air defense ecosystem. By successfully linking Roketsan’s missile design, Aselsan’s radar and control technologies, Havelsan’s combat management software, and STM’s integration expertise, Türkiye has demonstrated the viability of a fully indigenous vertical launch and interception chain. This achievement not only secures immediate defense needs but also lays the foundation for the future deployment of long-range air defense and strike systems, consolidating Türkiye’s position as a rising naval power in its region.