At DSEI 2025 in London, Turkish defense technology firm Meteksan Savunma is presenting a broad spectrum of high-tech military solutions spanning radar systems, electronic warfare (EW), naval platforms, border security technologies, and simulation systems. The company’s growing export footprint and integration into NATO-aligned capabilities reflect Turkey’s broader ambitions in the global defense market.
Radar Systems for Tactical and Strategic Applications
Meteksan’s radar portfolio continues to expand with solutions tailored for air surveillance, counter-drone operations, and coastal monitoring. One of the flagship products on display is the Retinar series — a family of ground surveillance radars optimized for detecting slow-moving or small targets such as personnel or mini-UAVs. The Retinar PTR-X variant offers enhanced clutter suppression and operates in X-band with a detection range exceeding 10 km for small drones under optimal conditions.
Also featured is the MILDAR fire-control radar system developed for rotary-wing platforms. Designed to support guided munitions like Turkey’s indigenous UMTAS anti-tank missile system (akin to AGM-114 Hellfire class), MILDAR uses millimeter-wave (Ka-band) technology to enable high-resolution target tracking even in degraded visual environments. This capability aligns with NATO’s emphasis on all-weather strike capacity from rotary platforms.
For coastal surveillance and maritime domain awareness missions, Meteksan is showcasing the YAKAMOS hull-mounted sonar system paired with complementary surface search radars. These are already operational aboard Turkish Navy MILGEM-class corvettes and are being marketed to friendly navies seeking indigenous alternatives to Western sonar suites.
Electronic Warfare Capabilities Expand Beyond Borders
Meteksan has steadily invested in electronic warfare technologies over the past decade. At DSEI 2025, it is highlighting its KAPAN Anti-Drone System — a modular counter-UAS solution integrating radar detection with RF jamming and electro-optical tracking. KAPAN has been deployed along Turkey’s southeastern borders where asymmetric threats from commercial drones have become increasingly prevalent.
The system includes an RF detector that scans known drone control frequencies (typically ISM bands like 2.4 GHz/5.8 GHz), coupled with directional jammers capable of disrupting both GNSS navigation signals (GPS/GLONASS) and command links. A key feature is its modularity; KAPAN can be vehicle-mounted or deployed as a fixed installation for critical infrastructure protection.
In parallel, Meteksan is developing passive ELINT/SIGINT receivers aimed at battlefield situational awareness — though these remain largely undisclosed due to classification concerns. However, company representatives at DSEI hinted at future collaborations with Turkish Armed Forces’ cyber-electronic units for integrated C4ISR-EW architectures.
Naval Sensors and Subsurface Capabilities
A cornerstone of Meteksan’s naval offerings remains its sonar product line — especially YAKAMOS hull-mounted sonar developed under Turkey’s MILGEM program. This medium-frequency active sonar provides real-time threat detection against submarines and underwater vehicles in littoral environments where reverberation poses challenges to traditional sonars.
The company also promotes its NAZAR Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system designed to protect naval vessels from infrared-guided missiles by using laser-based dazzlers that interfere with missile seekers. While DIRCMs are more common on aircraft platforms globally (e.g., AN/AAQ-24 Nemesis), their adaptation for maritime use reflects growing concern over man-portable IR threats in littoral zones.
Additionally showcased is the ULAQ unmanned surface vessel (USV), co-developed with ARES Shipyard but featuring Meteksan’s command-and-control architecture and sensor suite integration. ULAQ has been tested in multiple configurations including ISR patrols and surface strike roles using Roketsan Cirit or L-UMTAS missiles.
Simulation Systems Supporting Training Modernization
A less publicized but strategically important segment of Meteksan’s portfolio lies in training simulators tailored for land forces and special operations units. The company offers immersive virtual training environments using VR/AR interfaces combined with real-time physics modeling — enabling cost-effective rehearsal of urban combat scenarios or convoy ambush drills without live-fire ranges.
The Helicopter Fire Training Simulator (HELIKOPTER YANGIN EĞİTİMİ SİMÜLATÖRÜ) developed by Meteksan has been adopted by Turkish Air Force units tasked with CSAR missions. It replicates onboard fire emergencies using thermal effects and smoke generators within a mock fuselage structure — improving crew survivability during actual incidents.
This focus on training aligns with NATO trends emphasizing synthetic environments as part of force readiness strategies amid constrained budgets and increasing complexity of multi-domain operations.
Export Strategy Aligned With Strategic Autonomy Goals
Meteksan Savunma operates under Bilkent Holding — one of Turkey’s largest private conglomerates — giving it financial stability uncommon among mid-tier defense OEMs globally. This backing enables sustained R&D investment even amid shifting domestic procurement cycles or geopolitical headwinds such as export controls from traditional suppliers like Germany or the US.
- The Retinar radar family has reportedly been exported to countries across Central Asia and North Africa under opaque contracts facilitated via government-to-government channels.
- KAPAN anti-drone systems have seen interest from Gulf countries facing similar drone threats near critical oil infrastructure hubs.
- The ULAQ USV platform has been demonstrated to several Southeast Asian navies seeking affordable maritime ISR capabilities without full-scale manned patrol craft investments.
DSEI 2025 thus serves not only as a marketing venue but also as a signal of Turkey’s maturing industrial base capable of offering interoperable yet sovereign alternatives across multiple MilTech domains — from sensors to effectors to training ecosystems.
Conclusion: A Rising Mid-Tier Player With Multi-Domain Reach
While not yet competing head-to-head with Tier-1 OEMs like Thales or Leonardo across all domains, Meteksan represents a rising mid-tier player whose modularity-focused designs appeal particularly to nations balancing cost constraints against growing threat spectra — especially those outside traditional Western procurement networks but still seeking NATO-compatible solutions.
