TÜBİTAK SAGE, one of Turkey’s leading defense R&D centers, showcased its latest advancements in ammunition technology at SAHA EXPO 2023. Making its debut at the fair, the Kayı Guided Miniature Munition Family marks a significant step forward for Turkish UAVs and multiple air platforms. Designed with modularity, cost-effectiveness, and fully indigenous components, the Kayı family is engineered to meet diverse operational requirements with high adaptability.

The Kayı munitions operate in the free-fall, “fire-and-forget, air-to-ground” category and feature a fully indigenous architecture, from electronics to seeker heads. With anti-personnel, armor-piercing, and thermobaric warhead options, the Kayı family offers versatile solutions against both asymmetric and conventional threats.

A major advantage of the system is its rapid integration capability. The Modüler Çoklu Salan Sistemi (Modular Multi-Launcher System), designed specifically for the Kayı family, enables multiple munitions to be launched from a single platform. A real-time fire control module integrated into the launcher supports coordinated strikes with several munitions at once. Kayı 30 weighs 30 kg with a length of 100 cm, while Kayı 50 weighs 50 kg and measures 130 cm—both reaching up to 25 km in range with a CEP of under 3 meters.

TÜBİTAK SAGE Director Gürcan Okumuş emphasized that Kayı is not limited to UAVs. As Turkish UAVs proliferate worldwide, munitions tailored to varying payload capacities have become increasingly important. Okumuş highlighted that the Kayı family fills a critical capability gap in the medium-weight class and will be compatible with future platforms—including the National Combat Aircraft (MMU), where it could be carried in large numbers within the aircraft’s internal bays.

Okumuş also noted that Turkey has reached a level of maturity in ammunition development that allows for accelerated production cycles. With seeker heads, electronics, and software already developed domestically, new munitions can be assembled “like Lego,” significantly shortening development timelines. Looking ahead, SAGE is preparing to advance into hypersonic technologies, building on the success of the Gökhan air-to-air missile project, which is currently progressing ahead of schedule.

The Kayı munition family is poised to enhance the striking power of Turkey’s UAV fleet and strengthen its export presence, offering a versatile, high-precision, and fully indigenous solution for modern air warfare.