Aselsan Shows Containerised Air-Defence System for Merchant Ships at Euronaval 2026

Aselsan unveiled a containerised air-defence concept for merchant ships at the Euronaval 2026 exhibition in Paris, held from 3 to 6 November. Janes reported that the system combines the Gökdeniz gun system and the Göksur missile system, and that Aselsan has signed a contract with a foreign navy, with deliveries expected in 2027.

How the Containerised System Works

The concept places self-contained weapons and command-and-control equipment on deck before a voyage and removes it afterwards. It is designed to operate independently of the host vessel. Gökdeniz, derived from the Korkut self-propelled air-defence system, has its own radar and electro-optical sensors. Its twin 35 mm guns have a combined firing rate of 1,100 rounds/min and an effective range of 4 km against aerial targets using Aselsan's Atom programmable airburst ammunition, and it can also engage surface targets.

Göksur was developed by Aselsan with Türkiye's Defence Industries Research and Development Institute, Tübitak Sage. It has a stated effective range of 15 km against sea-skimming anti-ship and cruise missiles, UAVs and combat aircraft. An Aselsan representative told Janes that each launcher container will carry 12 vertically launched missiles, supported by radar, datalink equipment and operators housed in a separate fire-control container. The representative said the combined configuration requires at least four containers: one each for Gökdeniz, Göksur's launcher, Göksur's fire-control equipment and power supply. The representative did not specify the configuration ordered by the foreign navy.

Aselsan's Air-Defence Contract Record

According to akta.pro company records, Aselsan secured a €780 million (about $900 million) Steel Dome air-defence contract with Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries in June 2026, with deliveries scheduled for 2028 to 2032. The same records show that in February 2026 Aselsan set up a Czech-based joint venture with CSG/Excalibur International to integrate the Korkut air-defence system onto the Tatra 6x6 platform, targeting European and global markets.

Earlier Aselsan Air-Defence Activity

In October 2026, CIEL Defence and ASELSAN signed an MoU on October 23 to explore developing majority Canadian-owned defence industrial capabilities, the Financial Post reported. In September 2026, Aselsan and Roketsan signed a 1.23 billion euro contract for air-defence system components, announced on September 23, in support of Türkiye's Steel Dome programme, according to Hürriyet Daily News. Also in September 2026, Aselsan tested its Korkut 35 air-defence system against fixed-wing, delta-wing and mini/micro UAVs in a live-fire demonstration attended by defence delegations from 12 countries, The Defense Post reported.