Sungur

Last updated
Sungur / PORSAV
Type
Place of originFlag of Turkey.svg  Turkey
Service history
In service2022 [1] -present
Used byFlag of Turkey.svg Turkey
Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine [2]
Wars Syria Civil War
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Production history
Manufacturer Roketsan
Developed into Levent
Produced2022-present
Specifications
Mass14.5 kg
Length1.68 m
Diameter82 mm
WarheadHigh explosive semi armor piercing
Detonation
mechanism
Programmable impact fuze

EngineTwo-Stage solid-propellant rocket
Operational
range
500 m to 8 km
Flight altitude4 km (sea level)
Guidance
system
Imaging infrared homing
Launch
platform
MANPADS
Ground vehicles
Naval platforms
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
References Roketsan [3] [4]

Sungur (falcon) is a fifth-generation [5] fire-and-forget short range air defense (SHORAD) and man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) designed for short-range air defense of mobile/fixed units and facilities on the battlefield and in the rear area. [3] It's MANPADS version is also known as PORSAV. [6] It was developed by Roketsan, and is Turkey's first MANPADS. Entering service with the Turkish Armed Forces in July 2022, Sungur is set to replace their existing FIM-92 Stinger systems. [7] It's MANPADS version can operated by a single person without any tripod.

Contents

History

The Sungur project began in 2013 with a contract signed between the Turkish Ministry of National Defense and Roketsan to fulfill the requirements of the Turkish Land Forces Command. After successful development and testing phases, the system achieved initial operational capability in July 2020. The first batch of the vehicle-mounted Sungur variant was delivered in the second half of 2021. [5] A live-fire test was conducted in July 2022 at the Sinop Test Range, resulting in a successful hit against a Banshee Jet 80 target aircraft. Delivery of the MANPADS variant to the Land Forces Command also occurred in July 2022. As of March 2024, the Ministry of National Defence confirmed successful deliveries of various quantities of the MANPADS variant to the Turkish Land Forces Command, with inspections and acceptance activities completed.

As of March 8, 2024, Roketsan has begun receiving international inquiries for the Sungur MANPADS, marking Turkey's first ever export of such a system. [8]

Design and technical specifications

The system has a maximum range of 8 kilometers, which is considered the longest among comparable systems. It utilizes an imaging infrared seeker that enables lock-on before launch. The missile is equipped with a high-explosive, partial-piercing warhead and employs a direct attack profile to minimize flight time. [3]

Platform integration is flexible, supporting deployment from land-based vehicles, naval vessels, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Target acquisition is facilitated by voice and symbology instructions on a tracking screen. The system is designed for interoperability, capable of integrating with the HERIKKS Air Defence Early Warning Command and Control System. It also features upgradeable Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment. Its operational profile allows it to engage low-signature targets, contributing to asymmetric warfare capabilities. [3]

It is capable of engaging targets at altitudes up to 4 kilometers above sea level and is designed to counter fixed-wing aircraft and unmanned rotary-wing aircraft (UAVs). Its operational mode is Lock-On Before Launch, making it a fire-and-forget system. The seeker is resistant to countermeasures, features automatic target tracking, and operates within a ±40-degree visual angle. [3]

The missile is armed with a high-explosive, semi-armor-piercing warhead fitted with a programmable impact fuze. Both the warhead and the propulsion system are classified as Insensitive Munitions (Type 4). The propulsion consists of a launch engine, which separates within the launch tube, and a two-stage solid propellant flight engine. Terminal guidance is provided by an Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) system, enabling high manoeuvrability and rapid performance. The system is integrated on land platforms, naval vessels, and unmanned aerial vehicles. [3]

Operators

References

  1. "SUNGUR Silah Sistemi'nin ilk kafilesi Türk Silahlı Kuvvetlerine teslim edildi". Anadolu Agency. 24 July 2022.
  2. "Turkish Laser-Guided Artillery Rockets Could Be Giving Ukraine New Capability". Warzone. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "SUNGUR Air Defence Missile System". Roketsan.
  4. "SUNGUR Air Defence Missile System" (PDF). Roketsan . Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 "The First Group of the 5th Generation Portable Air Defense System SUNGUR was Delivered to the KKK!". Defence Turkey Magazine. July 25, 2022.
  6. "Sungur Passed Another Milestone". TurDef. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 3 October 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  7. "Sungur MANPADS air defense missile system enters service in Turkish armed forces". Army Recognition. July 28, 2022.
  8. "A first from Turkey: SUNGUR MANPADS export". savunmasanayist. 8 March 2024.