The Defense Industries Research and Development Institute (SAGE) of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK) is working with the team that developed Turkey's state-of-the-art unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) Akıncı for air-to-air missiles.

“There may be other platforms for the future, works are continuing with this regard," its General Director Gürcan Okumuş told Anadolu Agency (AA) during the MMG-EURITECH Eurasia R&D, Innovation & Technology Summit and Exhibition held in the IT Valley in northwestern Kocaeli province’s Gebze district.

Okumuş said that air-to-air missiles are very critical and they are defined as the "sword" of aircraft.

He also pointed out that having products that are developed nationally works as an impact multiplier.

“With these missiles, we aim to see without being seen, and to be able to hit from far away. It will be much easier for us to do this with our own missiles. High technology is not easily shared between countries, or even not shared at all. It is not possible to easily acquire these from abroad through technology transfer. Therefore, the output of every project here is a new achievement,” he said.

Turkey has already started mass-production of its latest miniature munition developed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), according to earlier statements of Okumuş.

Developed by TÜBİTAK SAGE, the laser-guided munition Bozok has undergone multiple successful fire tests. Its firing tests saw it being integrated into the Bayraktar TB2 UCAV, manufactured by drone magnate Baykar who also developed the Akıncı.

Bozok is smaller and has a light compact structure in comparison to the MAM-L, which has been actively used by Turkey’s drones. MAM-L is part of the family of domestically developed smart micro munitions (MAM), including MAM-C and MAM-T.

Turkey has also neared the final stage when it comes to its homegrown air-to-air missiles Bozdoğan and Gökdoğan, also developed by TÜBITAK SAGE.