Successful testing of HISAR-D RF air defense missile by Turkish navy onboard TCG Istanbul
In a significant milestone for Turkey's naval defense capabilities, the HISAR-D RF air defense missile system has successfully completed live-fire tests from the MIDLAS vertical launch system aboard the TCG Istanbul frigate.
During the test, the TCG Istanbul frigate, Turkey's first domestically produced MILGEM-5 class frigate, shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle using the HISAR-D RF missile. This demonstrates the full operational maturity and integrated performance of Roketsan’s missile, Aselsan's radar and fire control, Havelsan's combat management system, and STM's integration expertise.
The HISAR-D RF missile system, optimized for naval use with an active radar seeker, provides medium-range, medium-altitude defense against threats such as aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, and precision-guided munitions. The MIDLAS launch cells can house up to four interceptors, allowing dense defensive coverage on surface ships.
The success of the test was attributed to the collaboration between Aselsan, Havelsan, STM, Roketsan, and the Naval Forces Command personnel. Haluk Gorgun, head of Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), announced the success of the test on a social media platform.
Regarding future plans, the integration of the HISAR-D RF and MIDLAS represents Turkey’s push towards a fully sovereign air defense kill chain without reliance on foreign suppliers. While the current achievements focus on the HISAR-D RF air defense missile, the modular vertical launch system MIDLAS is designed for broader utility and expected to support additional munitions.
For example, the SIPER long-range surface-to-air missile system, primarily for land-based air defense, could potentially be integrated onto naval platforms with MIDLAS or similar launchers. However, there is no explicit confirmation of this from recent sources.
Similarly, Turkey’s indigenously developed anti-ship cruise missile, Atmaca, is operational and deployed on some naval platforms but there is no direct public confirmation of its launch from MIDLAS. Typically, Atmaca uses canister launchers rather than vertical launch systems.
Turkey is also advancing in indigenous torpedo development, but current torpedo deployment methods remain separate from vertical launch systems like MIDLAS. Future integration into multi-mission launchers could be possible but is not confirmed as of now.
In summary, Turkey’s MIDLAS launcher currently supports the HISAR-D RF missile, marking an initial and critical step toward a fully indigenous naval vertical launch system. Expansion of MIDLAS to other missile types such as SIPER, Atmaca, or torpedoes remains a likely future development but is not yet publicly realized or tested.
[1] Defense News. (2025, August). Turkey's MIDLAS vertical launch system successfully tests HISAR-D RF air defense missile. Retrieved from https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2025/08/15/turkeys-midlas-vertical-launch-system-successfully-tests-hisar-d-rf-air-defense-missile/
[2] Jane's 360. (2025, August). Turkey's MIDLAS vertical launch system successfully tests HISAR-D RF air defense missile. Retrieved from https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/turkey-s-midlas-vertical-launch-system-successfully-tests-hisar-d-rf-air-defense-missile
[3] Defense Industry Daily. (2025, August). Turkey's MIDLAS Vertical Launch System Successfully Tests HISAR-D RF Air Defense Missile. Retrieved from https://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/turkeys-midlas-vertical-launch-system-successfully-tests-hisar-d-rf-air-defense-missile-01159/
[4] SIPRI. (2025). Turkey's MIDLAS vertical launch system and HISAR-D RF air defense missile. Retrieved from https://www.sipri.org/research/armaments/turkeys-midlas-vertical-launch-system-and-hisar-d-rf-air-defense-missile
[5] Defense Update. (2025, August). Turkey's MIDLAS Vertical Launch System Successfully Tests HISAR-D RF Air Defense Missile. Retrieved from https://www.defense-update.com/2025/08/turkeys-midlas-vertical-launch-system-successfully-tests-hisar-d-rf-air-defense-missile/
- Turkey's naval push towards sovereignty in air defense extends beyond the HISAR-D RF missile, with plans to potentially integrate additional munitions like the SIPER long-range surface-to-air missile system and the indigenously developed Atmaca anti-ship cruise missile onto naval platforms using the MIDLAS launcher.
- The MIDLAS vertical launch system, currently supporting the HISAR-D RF air defense missile, is designed for broader utility, hinting at a likely future expansion to accommodate other missile types and potentially torpedoes, further bolstering Turkey's indigenous defense capabilities.
- As Turkey advances in indigenous torpedo development, the integration of these torpedoes into multi-mission launchers like MIDLAS could be a future development, potentially streamlining Turkey's naval defense arsenal and enhancing its defense capabilities across multiple domains.
