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Aselsan Unveils Integrated Counter-Drone And Air Defense Solutions Tailored For Europe’s Evolving Threats.
At BEDEX 2026 in Brussels on March 12, ASELSAN presented a layered portfolio of counter-drone, air defense, radar, and electronic warfare systems aimed at Belgium and broader European partners. This move reflects Europe’s effort to accelerate procurement, strengthen supply chains, and reinforce air and missile defenses against drones and other aerial threats.
On March 12, 2026, at the European Defence Exhibition & Conference in Brussels, ASELSAN used its presence in Belgium to position a broad portfolio of air defense, counter-UAV, radar, and electronic warfare solutions for both the Belgian market and wider European cooperation. At a moment when European governments are seeking faster industrial delivery, stronger supply chains, and more resilient air and missile defense architectures, the Turkish company presented itself not only as a supplier, but as a potential long-term partner. Army Recognition, officially designated as the only Official Online Show Daily News and Web Partner for BEDEX 2026, is providing exclusive digital coverage of the exhibition, including technical reporting, original imagery, and interviews with industry and institutional stakeholders.
ASELSAN used BEDEX 2026 in Brussels to showcase a layered portfolio of counter-drone, air defense, radar, and electronic warfare systems, positioning itself as a potential industrial partner for Belgium and broader European defense cooperation (Picture Source: Army Recognition)
ASELSAN’s presentation in Brussels was built around a clear operational message: European users need layered, mobile, and adaptable systems able to counter a growing spectrum of aerial threats, from mini and micro drones to more complex air and missile attack profiles. On its stand, the company displayed mock-ups and solutions including the Korkut 100-25 SB anti-drone weapon system, the Ejderha drone and micro-UAV neutralization system, the Koral 200 mobile radar electronic warfare system, the Gürz multi-purpose all-in-one air and missile defense system, and the Gökberk mobile laser weapon system. ASELSAN also highlighted UAV payloads, radar families, electronic warfare architectures, and ground-based electronic warfare systems, underscoring the breadth of technologies it can bring into a European cooperation framework.
Under the concept of a shield against unwanted drones, ASELSAN structured its offer around several complementary systems intended to answer different engagement scenarios. These included EJDERHA AD 200 for mini and micro-UAV neutralization, GÖKBERK 100/5 as a mobile laser weapon system, KORKUT 100/25 SB as an anti-drone gun-based solution, İHTAR 100 as a counter-UAV system, KANGAL AD 100 for drone jamming and blinding, KANGAL FPV for FPV jammer missions, BUKALEMUN 100 as a GNSS spoofing system, KANGAL ADLR 100 as an anti-drone jammer, and KANGAL ADL 100 as an anti-drone RF jammer. Taken together, the portfolio reflects a layered philosophy combining hard-kill, soft-kill, directed-energy, jamming, and spoofing effects, which is increasingly relevant for European armed forces facing the rapid spread of low-cost drones and saturation-style threats.
The industrial and political reception of the Turkish defense industry at BEDEX gave additional weight to ASELSAN’s message. During a panel at the exhibition, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized that around 3,000 defense companies in Türkiye are already working with partners in Europe and the United States, while stressing the importance of acting together with speed, preparedness, and interdependence rather than through exclusionary approaches. In the same wider BEDEX context, Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken also argued that strategic autonomy should not mean excluding key allies such as Türkiye, the United States, Canada, Norway, or the United Kingdom.
That environment is particularly favorable to ASELSAN’s positioning because the company is aligning its offer with Europe’s current priorities: production speed, operational relevance, and industrial cooperation. Speaking during a BEDEX panel on the transformation of the global defense industrial environment, ASELSAN Deputy General Manager Özgür Taylan Sarı said Türkiye could be a good partner thanks to its fast delivery capabilities and stated that the company is holding talks on joint ventures in Europe, the Pacific, and other regions. He also said ASELSAN is very open to collaborating with other major defense companies in order to complement each other and offer better solutions. Those remarks fit closely with the company’s Brussels posture, which was less about a single platform sale than about opening the door to broader industrial partnerships across radar, electronic warfare, counter-drone, and integrated air defense domains.
Belgium offered a particularly symbolic setting for that message. During a visit to ASELSAN’s stand, Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken said Belgium and Türkiye need to work together in industry and defense, adding that while Belgium has good capabilities, Türkiye is a large and powerful country with a strong army and substantial practical experience, from which much can be learned. He also praised the ASELSAN stand itself during the exhibition visit. These remarks matter beyond protocol: they suggest that Belgian decision-makers are not only observing Turkish defense technologies with interest, but also considering the practical value of deeper bilateral industrial engagement at a time when Belgium is seeking to expand its own defense industrial base. Mr. Francken has said Belgium currently has around 80 defense companies and wants that number to reach roughly 160 to 200 within four to five years.
From a market perspective, ASELSAN’s portfolio shown in Brussels addresses several urgent European requirements simultaneously. Counter-UAV missions now demand layered responses because armed forces must defeat reconnaissance drones, loitering munitions, FPV systems, and small swarming platforms across different ranges, altitudes, and electromagnetic environments. In that context, a combination of radar, electronic warfare, jamming, GNSS spoofing, gun-based engagement, and laser effectors can be more attractive than a single-system approach. By presenting systems such as KORKUT, GÖKBERK, EJDERHA, KANGAL, and BUKALEMUN alongside more strategic assets like KORAL 200 and the Gürz air and missile defense solution, ASELSAN signaled that it can contribute both tactical point defense and broader multi-layered protection architectures.
The Brussels display also helped show that ASELSAN’s relevance for Europe extends beyond counter-drone systems alone. The company’s expertise in radar systems, mission payloads, and ground-based electronic warfare may become increasingly important as European countries seek better sensor coverage, faster detection-to-engagement cycles, and more survivable electromagnetic capabilities. This is especially significant in a defense environment shaped by lessons from Ukraine, the Middle East, and the accelerated depletion of military stocks repeatedly highlighted by officials during BEDEX. Mr. Rutte specifically called on industry to invest more in supply chains, factories, and readiness because stocks are being consumed rapidly and must be replenished at speed.
Army Recognition Group also conducted an interview at the exhibition with Mr. Ali Serdar Kilinc, Director of Global Marketing Strategies, adding direct industry insight to its coverage of ASELSAN’s objectives in Belgium and Europe. In this context, the solutions presented by ASELSAN in Brussels can also be understood as part of the company’s broader approach to integrated and layered air defense, reflected in the Steel Dome concept developed to connect sensors, effectors, electronic warfare assets, and command-and-control functions into a multi-layered defensive network. This additional dimension reinforces the relevance of the systems displayed at BEDEX, as they are not only individual products but also building blocks that can be integrated into wider architectures designed to protect forces, infrastructure, and airspace against diverse and simultaneous threats.
From Brussels, ASELSAN’s participation sends a message that goes beyond exhibition visibility and points toward a deeper role in Europe’s evolving defense ecosystem. By bringing a diversified portfolio of counter-drone, radar, laser, and electronic warfare solutions to Belgium, and by coupling these technologies with a clear openness to joint ventures and industrial cooperation, the company has positioned itself as a credible partner for European capability development. As the only Official Online Show Daily News and Web Partner for BEDEX 2026, Army Recognition is following this evolution closely through exclusive coverage, interviews, technical analysis, and on-site reporting, highlighting how BEDEX is becoming a platform where new defense partnerships between Belgium, Europe, and Türkiye may take more concrete shape.