The Turkish air-to-air missile effort has crossed a practical threshold with the Bozdoğan within-visual-range (WVR) missile and the Gökdoğan beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile completing live warhead validation firings and moving into serial production.

The announcement, made by Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, follows a series of tests conducted by Tübitak-Sage in co-ordination with the Turkish Air Force. For Ankara, the shift into serial production indicates that the weapons have moved beyond the development phase and are being manufactured as part of a formal inventory intended for operational use.

The Bozdoğan and Gökdoğan sit under the Göktuğ programme, which began in 2013 with the aim of giving the Turkish Air Force domestically developed alternatives to imported short- and medium-range air-to-air weapons. The programme aims to improve the conventional division in modern air combat between high-agility missiles for close-in fights and radar-guided missiles for engagements well beyond what a pilot can see through the cockpit.

Bozdoğan: infrared guidance and close-range combat

As the short-range member of the family, the Bozdoğan is designed for WVR scenarios where targets are manoeuvring sharply. It measures 3.3 m in length, has a diameter of 160 mm and weighs roughly 140 kg. It is credited with reaching speeds above Mach 4 and has a stated effective range of more than 25 km.

The Bozdoğan’s guidance is built around an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker. Unlike older heat-seeking technology that looks for a single point of heat, an IIR seeker creates a thermal image of the target, which helps the missile distinguish between an actual aircraft and defensive flare decoys. Another key feature is the inclusion of thrust vector control (TVC), which allows the missile to change direction by gimballing its exhaust. This provides high agility immediately after launch, which is a critical trait for high-off-boresight shots where the missile must turn hard to intercept a target crossing the pilot’s field of view.

Gökdoğan: radar homing for BVR engagements

The Gökdoğan is the Bozdoğan’s BVR counterpart. It employs a solid-state active radio-frequency seeker, which provides a fire-and-forget capability. This allows the launching aircraft to manoeuvre or break its own radar lock once the missile’s seeker has acquired the target during its terminal flight phase.

The Gökdoğan features a two-way datalink for mid-course updates and is also described as having home-on-jam capabilities to counter electronic warfare systems. It is powered by a high-thrust, reduced-smoke solid rocket motor and is credited with a range exceeding 65 km. Like the Bozdoğan, it is intended for integration with existing fighter infrastructure, including the LAU-129 launcher.

Production milestones and integration on the F-16

Moving to serial production is a distinct step from successful testing. It involves setting up repeatable manufacturing processes, quality control for sensitive electronics like seekers, and establishing storage and maintenance protocols for the air force. An initial low-scale production arrangement was previously linked to a batch of 25 missiles of each type, intended to support the integration process on the Turkish F-16 fleet.

Integration efforts have centred on the F-16’s PO-III configuration. This work overlaps with the Özgür modernisation programme: a project aimed at replacing foreign-sourced avionics and mission computers with Turkish-developed hardware and software. Having local control over the mission computer and the cockpit’s software logic simplifies the process of integrating new weapons, as the engineering teams do not have to wait for external assistance to modify fire-control software or display interfaces.

While the F-16 is the immediate carrier, the long-term plan involves these missiles arming Türkiye’s upcoming air platforms. The national fifth-generation fighter, the Kaan, is the primary candidate for an all-domestic air-to-air suite. Beyond manned fighters, there is also proof-of-concept work for arming unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Tests featuring the Kizilelma unmanned combat aircraft have already demonstrated integrated use with the Aselsan Murad active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and the Gökdoğan, suggesting a role for drones in future air defence or counter-air operations. The Akinci UAV is another platform regularly mentioned as a potential carrier for these munitions.

Looking ahead to Gökhan and the ramjet phase

The entry of the Bozdoğan and Gökdoğan into production establishes a baseline for Turkish rocket-powered air-to-air missiles, but it is not the intended final state of the Göktuğ programme. Development is continuing on the Gökhan project, which is aimed at producing a BVR missile powered by a ramjet engine.

A ramjet allows a missile to maintain high speeds and energy throughout its entire flight, whereas traditional rocket motors burn out relatively quickly, leaving the missile to coast during its final, critical manoeuvres. Sustained energy is particularly valuable during the endgame of a long-range engagement, where a target may attempt high-g turns to evade. Ground tests for the Gökhan’s ramjet engine have been ongoing, although it remains a longer-term development item compared to the two missiles now entering the inventory.

For the Turkish Air Force, the current serial production phase for the Bozdoğan and Gökdoğan represents the transition from development prototypes to the practical delivery of locally produced ammunition for its frontline squadrons. The next steps will involve monitoring production rates and the full certification of these weapons across the flight envelopes of the aircraft they are intended to arm.