ALKA Directed Energy Weapon System, one of the important air defense solutions developed by the Turkish defense industry, is being strengthened with new capabilities against the rapidly changing threat environment. Also known as a “laser weapon,” ALKA is designed to protect critical facilities, military bases and operational units, especially against drones and swarm kamikaze drone threats. Developed by ROKETSAN, the system is positioned as one of the last-line defense elements within Türkiye’s multi-layered air defense architecture, ÇELİK KUBBE.

According to information shared by ROKETSAN Weapon Systems and Integration Director Koray Dayanç, the development process of ALKA began in the 2018-2019 period due to the need to protect critical infrastructure from drone threats. In the competition launched by the Presidency of Defense Industries, ROKETSAN competed with ASELSAN and TÜBİTAK BİLGEM and came to the forefront with the solution that successfully neutralized a single drone. This achievement paved the way for the birth of the ALKA system and its subsequent delivery to security forces.

The system was initially developed at a power level of 2.5 kilowatts and has now reached the 5 and 10 kilowatt classes. The 10-kilowatt ALKA system has already entered the inventory and is actively being used in operational missions. As drone threats become faster, more diverse and more resistant to electronic jamming, ALKA continues to be developed not only with “soft kill” capabilities such as electronic jamming, but also with “hard kill” capability that physically destroys targets using laser energy.

Artificial intelligence algorithms are also actively used in ALKA. In scenarios where multiple drones create a simultaneous threat, the system aims to shorten detection, prioritization and reaction times. In this context, algorithms are integrated into the command and control system, while radar, detection and tracking capabilities are continuously updated in line with feedback from the field. ROKETSAN is also working on new radar technologies to detect more targets in a shorter time.

The time required for ALKA to neutralize a target varies depending on the target’s structure, the impact point, plate thickness and laser output energy. According to available information, the system can neutralize drones within 1 to 5 seconds. With increased energy levels, this duration is expected to become even shorter. In this respect, ALKA stands out as a fast, cost-effective and efficient defense solution in the modern battlefield, where asymmetric aerial threats are becoming increasingly widespread.

ROKETSAN aims to further develop ALKA to meet the broader operational needs of the Turkish Armed Forces in the future. According to Dayanç, the system’s energy power is planned to be increased not gradually, but by much higher multipliers. As threats evolve rapidly and asymmetrically, directed energy weapons must also progress at the same pace. Therefore, ALKA is expected to gain a stronger position within ÇELİK KUBBE as a laser-based last-line defense element.