Turkish Armed Forces Expands Its Air-to-Surface Strike Arsenal with UAV-230 Missile

The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) has officially inducted the UAV-230 Air-to-Surface Ballistic Supersonic Missile into its inventory. The development was announced during the Ministry of National Defence’s Weekly Press Briefing, where officials stated that inspection and acceptance procedures for several UAV-230 munitions had been completed and the systems had entered service with the Turkish Land Forces Command.

Developed by ROKETSAN, the UAV-230 is a supersonic air-launched ballistic missile designed to provide Armed UAV platforms with long-range precision strike capability against high-value targets. Derived from the TRG-230 guided missile family, the system has been developed primarily for integration with heavy-class Armed UAV platforms such as AKINCI and AKSUNGUR, while future integration with next-generation unmanned combat aircraft (such as KIZILELMA) is also envisaged.

According to ROKETSAN, the UAV-230 can engage targets at ranges exceeding 150km, depending on launch altitude and platform speed. The missile weighs approximately 225kg, measures 3.4m in length, and carries a 42kg warhead. Designed to engage both fixed and mobile targets, its target set includes air defence systems, radar installations, communication nodes, command-and-control centers, and light armored vehicles. The missile employs a GNSS-supported inertial navigation system and offers a fire-and-forget capability, enabling Armed UAV operators to conduct long-range precision engagements while remaining outside many enemy air defence engagement zones.

The UAV-230 program reached a major milestone in December 2022 when the missile was successfully fired for the first time from a Bayraktar AKINCI Armed UAV, striking a target approximately 100km away. A subsequent test conducted in March 2023 demonstrated an engagement range of around 140km, with the missile once again achieving a direct hit. Further testing continued to validate the system’s operational performance. In November 2024, an AKINCI Armed UAV successfully launched a UAV-230 missile against a target located approximately 155km away, demonstrating the weapon’s extended-range precision strike capability.

The introduction of the UAV-230 represents a significant enhancement to the Turkish Armed Forces’ deep-strike capabilities. By enabling Armed UAV platforms to engage critical targets from stand-off ranges exceeding 150km, the missile provides a new operational option for the suppression/destruction of enemy air defences and for attacks against command-and-control facilities, radar systems, and other high-value strategic targets.