ASELFLIR-500

ASELFLIR-500 is a high-performance electro-optical reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting system developed by ASELSAN. It is designed to be integrated into various aerial platforms including fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The system was developed to meet modern combat requirements such as high-resolution imaging, advanced target tracking capabilities, laser designation, and range finding.

Development Process and First Flight

Development of the ASELFLIR-500 began in 2021, and the system rapidly achieved significant technical milestones. Its first flight was conducted in March 2023. In subsequent testing conducted in July 2023 on two different aerial platforms, the system demonstrated high performance and outperformed competing electro-optical systems.

On 23 February 2024, as part of a test flight conducted with Bayraktar AKINCI, the national integration of ASELFLIR-500 was successfully completed, and its flight tests were finalized at the AKINCI Flight Training and Test Center in Çorlu.

Technical Specifications

• Input Mirror Diameter: 220 mm
• Weight: 52 kg ±5% (reduced from 57 kg in the previous version)
• Dimensions: 480 mm width, 520 mm height (forward-looking position)
• Operating Temperature: -40°C to +52°C
• Storage Temperature: -55°C to +70°C
• Field of View Angles:
• • Azimuth: 360° continuous rotation
  • Elevation: -110° to +95°

Camera Systems

• Resolution: 1280×1024
• Wavelength: 3–5 µm (MWIR)
• Field of View: 0.86° to 25°
• Resolution: 4096×2880 (up from 1920×1080 in the previous generation)
• Continuous Zoom: 0.5° to 30°
• Full HD (1920×1080p) video output without digital zoom
• Resolution: 1280×1024
• Field of View: 0.66° to 1.1°

Laser Systems

• Laser Target Designator and Range Finder:
• • Wavelength: 1064 nm
  • Range: Up to 35 km (increased from 30 km in the previous version)
  • Coding: STANAG 3733 (Ed. 3)
• Laser Pointers:
• • Wavelength: 808 nm (NIR/SWIR compatible with night vision)

Key Capabilities

• Advanced Image Processing: AI-assisted image processing across IR, Day TV, and SWIR channels
• Multi-Target Tracking: Simultaneous tracking of multiple targets
• Moving Target Analysis: Determination of target direction and velocity
• Precise Stabilization: Superior vibration and shake compensation
• Automatic Platform Alignment
• Digital Video Processing: Fully digital infrastructure
• Sensor Alignment Unit: Precise alignment via integrated internal unit

Application Areas and Platforms

ASELFLIR-500 can be integrated into both rotary-wing (such as helicopters) and fixed-wing (aircraft, UAVs) aerial platforms. To date, the system has been deployed on UAVs such as Bayraktar TB2, ANKA, and Bayraktar AKINCI. It also plays a critical role in intelligence, surveillance, targeting, and precision engagement missions in modern combat environments.

Strategic Importance and Comparative Advantages

ASELFLIR-500 is regarded as a major technological leap following ASELSAN’s earlier CATS system. The upgrade of the daylight camera to match the resolution level of the ASELFLIR-600 demonstrates the current state of Türkiye’s indigenous electro-optical production capabilities. With high quantum efficiency sensors and advanced stabilization systems, ASELFLIR-500 is a strategic system that directly enhances operational success by enabling security forces to detect critical targets with greater precision.