Turkish air defence system deployed in Ukraine said to cut cost of downing drones to $10,000

By the Editorial Team · Monday, October 26, 2026

Turkey’s Aselsan has expanded exports of its Korkut automated air-defense system, capable of economically destroying attack drones, to nine countries including Ukraine. This cost-effective technology addresses the growing threat of drone swarms in modern conflicts by providing a scalable alternative to expensive missile interceptors, enhancing defense capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions.

A Turkish automated air-defence system capable of neutralizing attack drones at a cost of approximately $10,000 is contributing to a surge in Turkey’s defence exports to regions including the Gulf and Eastern Europe, notably Ukraine. The system, known as Korkut and produced by Aselsan, Turkey’s largest defence company, has been confirmed to be operational in nine countries and is reported to have destroyed hundreds of drones.

Ahmet Akyol, CEO of Aselsan, provided rare confirmation of the Korkut’s deployment in Ukraine amid Ankara’s effort to maintain a diplomatic balance between Moscow and Kyiv during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Ukraine’s air force acknowledged equipping one unit with an undisclosed number of Korkut systems.

The system targets mass-produced “kamikaze” drones similar to Iran’s Shahed model, which have been used extensively by Iran, Russia, and non-state groups such as the Houthis. These groups deploy drone swarms capable of overwhelming conventional air defences and facilitating missile strikes, including recent attacks on Riyadh’s airport. The economic challenge of countering these threats has been termed the “affordable mass problem” by U.S. Army acquisition chief Brent Ingraham.

While interceptors like Patriot PAC-3 or IRIS-T missiles cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars each, the Korkut’s programmable 35mm airburst rounds cost around $1,000 per round. According to Akyol, this allows the Korkut to defeat individual drones economically, with total elimination costs below $10,000 per drone, making missile-only defence strategies financially unviable in conflicts such as Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia and recent Gulf confrontations.

Ukraine employs a mix of weaponry against aerial threats, including truck-mounted machine guns and German Gepard anti-aircraft guns. However, it continues to face challenges from fast jet-powered drones, with speeds reaching up to 600 kilometers per hour. Analysts note that while there are no public reports of the Korkut engaging jet-powered drones to date, the system is designed to intercept low-flying aircraft and cruise missiles traveling at speeds between 700 and 900 kilometers per hour.

The Korkut first saw overseas deployment during Turkey’s 2020 military support for the UN-recognized government in Libya, where it was credited with helping to shift the conflict’s balance against Khalifa Haftar’s forces. It demonstrated effectiveness against Chinese-made Wing Loong drones, providing a protective shield over key airfields. Turkey subsequently applied a similar approach during the 2021 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and throughout operations against Russian-backed forces in Syria during the 2010s. This operational background is said to have enhanced Turkey’s expertise against Russian-made systems.

Aselsan, established in 1975 following a U.S. arms embargo, is the most valuable company on the Istanbul Stock Exchange with a market capitalization near $32 billion. The majority of its shares are held by a military foundation that also controls other strategic firms, such as missile manufacturer Roketsan. Turkey’s defence industry has expanded rapidly, making the country the world’s 11th-largest arms exporter with $10 billion in exports in the past year, marking a 48 percent increase from 2023. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has praised Aselsan for leading a “defence industrial revolution” in Turkey.

The company provides critical electronic systems, including sensors and electronic warfare equipment, to key domestic defence manufacturers like Baykar, headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son-in-law Selçuk Bayraktar. Turkey’s broad industrial base, encompassing Europe’s largest commercial vehicle production and a significant white goods sector, supports a network of private suppliers, universities, and research centers that contribute to rapid product development and deployment. Military connections enable accelerated prototype testing and operational feedback, benefiting Turkey’s ongoing counter-insurgency campaigns and defence initiatives. Some analysts have raised concerns about exaggerated claims from Turkish defence firms, but officials who have observed the Korkut in action have generally praised its performance.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.