Air Defense ASELSAN TURKISH DEFENSE INDUSTRY

KORKUT: ASELSAN’s 35 mm Self-Propelled Air Defense Gun — Specs, Turkish Service and Exports Explained

KORKUT, ASELSAN’s twin 35 mm self-propelled air defense gun, has evolved from a Turkish Army modernization program into a family of tracked and wheeled systems now sold abroad. Built around radar-cued guns firing ASELSAN’s programmable ATOM airburst rounds, it protects maneuver forces against drones, cruise missiles and helicopters, and sits in the low-altitude tier of Türkiye’s Steel Dome architecture.

KORKUT infographic: key features and capabilities — KORKUT infographic. Design: Envanter Medya

At a Glance

Prime contractor	ASELSAN; FNSS (tracked hull); MKE (licensed 35 mm guns)
Operators	Turkish Land Forces; first export delivery in 2025
Program	SSB program; series production contract 19 May 2016
Quantity	13 command vehicles and 40 weapon vehicles under the first contract
Local content	No official figure; sensors, fire control and ammunition are Turkish
Variants	150/35 (tracked), 140/35 (8×8), 130/35 (towed gun upgrade)

What Is KORKUT?

KORKUT operates in teams of three Weapon System Vehicles and one Command and Control Vehicle. The command vehicle carries a 3D search radar and IFF, builds a local air picture and assigns targets; each weapon vehicle has a stabilized turret with a fire control radar and electro-optical tracking suite, allowing it to fire on the move and to engage independently if required. The key enabler is ATOM 35 ABM, a time-programmed round that releases a cloud of tungsten pellets ahead of the target, with an enhanced I-ABM version for small drones.

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Value
Armament	Twin 35 mm KDC-02 cannon (licence-built by MKE)
Rate of fire	1,100 rounds per minute
Effective range	4 km with ATOM ammunition
Fighter tracking range	More than 35 km
Ready rounds	200
Vehicle speed	150/35 tracked: 65+ km/h; 140/35 8×8: 105+ km/h
Team	3 weapon vehicles + 1 command vehicle

ASELSAN’s March 2026 brochures list the tracked version as KORKUT 150/35 and the wheeled 8×8 version, tested on Otokar’s ARMA II, as KORKUT 140/35. The first figure denotes the configuration and the second the gun caliber. The family also includes KORKUT 130/35, a digitized upgrade of towed 35 mm guns directed by the KORKUT 130 FCS fire control unit.

Who Builds It and Program History

SSB and ASELSAN signed the series production contract on 19 May 2016, covering 13 command vehicles and 40 weapon vehicles; ASELSAN subcontracted the ACV-30-based tracked hulls to FNSS in December 2016. A first team of one command and two weapon vehicles was accepted on 31 October 2016, and serial deliveries began in March 2019. ASELSAN’s 2025 annual report adds a new domestic contract covering the KORKUT 240/35 and 250/35 configurations.

Turkish Service and Deliveries

KORKUT is in service with the Turkish Land Forces and has been reported in operational use in Syria and Libya. KORKUT systems were part of the 47-vehicle Steel Dome package handed over on 27 August 2025, and deliveries of the towed-gun upgrade continue. Overall fleet numbers are not published.

Exports

ASELSAN reported that the first export delivery of KORKUT 150/35 took place in 2025 without naming the customer, and that a KORKUT 141/35 configuration has been integrated on a Middle Eastern platform. Indian media reported in September 2026 that Pakistan had acquired KORKUT systems, with no quantities disclosed. In Europe, the Czech group CSG and ASELSAN formed an EU-based joint venture on 4 February 2026 and unveiled KORKUT on a Tatra Force 6×6, with production and integration planned in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Indonesia showed interest after a 2018 demonstration, but no contract has been announced.

Trade Show Appearances

The wheeled 8×8 KORKUT debuted at Eurosatory 2024 in Paris. At IDEF 2025 ASELSAN showed KORKUT 140/35 with four fixed KALKAN 050-G AESA panels and KANGAL FPV jammers, and the family featured in ASELSAN’s counter-UAS display at AAD 2026 in South Africa. Test footage released in January 2026 showed the 8×8 version downing an FPV drone while moving.

Local Content and Key Subsystems

No official local content share has been released. The radars, electro-optics, fire control software and ATOM ammunition are ASELSAN developments, the guns are produced under licence by MKE, and the tracked chassis comes from FNSS. ATOM 35 has itself been exported to several countries.

Global Counterparts

KORKUT’s closest relative is Germany’s Gepard, which also used 35 mm Oerlikon guns; newer peers include Rheinmetall’s Skyranger family, Russia’s Pantsir and the U.S. Army’s M-SHORAD. KORKUT’s distinguishing features are its airburst-centred counter-drone approach, the team-level command vehicle and a turret that moves between tracked and wheeled hulls.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “140/35” mean?

It is ASELSAN’s official designation: 140 is the configuration (the 8×8 wheeled version) and 35 the gun caliber.

What is KORKUT’s range?

Effective engagement range is 4 km with ATOM rounds; fighters can be tracked beyond 35 km.

Has KORKUT been exported?

Yes. ASELSAN reported the first KORKUT 150/35 export delivery in 2025.

Is KORKUT part of Steel Dome?

Yes, ASELSAN lists it among Steel Dome’s low-altitude elements.

Related Infographic Reports

Featured photo: ASELSAN