The Turkish Air Force has received the first production batch of HGK-84 guidance kits, a domestically developed solution that converts legacy unguided MK-84 general-purpose and penetrator bombs into precision, air-to-surface munitions. The deliveries, carried out under the “HGK-84 Procurement Project” launched by contract on 3 February 2023, were announced by Askeri Fabrika ve Tersane İşletme A.Ş. (ASFAT). Final assembly, production and qualification testing were performed at the 3rd Air Maintenance Factory Directorate under the General Directorate of Military Factories in Ankara. According to ASFAT, acceptance firing trials achieved a 100% success rate, validating the performance of the kits under operational conditions.

Technically, the HGK-84 integrates GPS/INS guidance and can be deployed from ranges up to 15 nautical miles (approximately 28 km), allowing stand-off employment that enhances aircraft survivability. In its baseline configuration the kit delivers circular error probable (CEP) performance below 10 metres, providing significant improvements in strike accuracy compared to unguided munitions. When configured with a laser seeker head, the HGK-84 can engage moving or time-sensitive targets with even greater precision, achieving CEP figures under 3 metres in laser-guided mode. These capabilities expand mission flexibility—enabling precision strikes against both fixed and relocatable targets while reducing collateral damage.

The indigenous production and fielding of HGK-84 kits mark a notable step in Turkey’s effort to increase self-reliance in munitions and weapons integration. Local manufacturing reduces dependency on foreign suppliers, shortens logistics chains, and enables faster sustainment and software/firmware updates tailored to national requirements. Integration across multiple aircraft types is also facilitated by the modular design of the kit, allowing rapid adaptation to platform-specific interfaces and release mechanisms. ASFAT indicated that serial production is proceeding as planned and that subsequent deliveries will continue to expand the Air Force’s inventory of precision-guided munitions.

Overall, the HGK-84 program strengthens tactical air-to-surface lethality for the Turkish Air Force while supporting the domestic defense industrial base through localized production, testing, and sustainment capabilities.