Turkey's indigenous BOZDOĞAN Within Visual Range (WVR) Air-to-Air Missile developed by TÜBİTAK-SAGE was successfully tested against a target aircraft. During the guided firing test, the missile was launched from the ground and intercepted the target aircraft. The Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa VARANK announced the launch test via his social media account. In his message Minister VARANK said, “We continue to make history! Developed by TÜBİTAK-SAGE, the BOZDOĞAN Within Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile, which was previously announced by our President, successfully intercepted a target aircraft for the first time.”

Within the scope of the GÖKTUĞ (Beyond Visual) missile family project, two different missile systems are being developed by TÜBİTAK- SAGE. The short-range air-to-air missile BOZDOĞAN (Merlin), which was successfully completed the first firing test, will replace the “AIM-9X Sidewinder” missiles in the future. The other missile GÖKDOĞAN (Peregrine) beyond visual range air-to-air missile is aimed to replace “AIM-120 AMRAAM” missiles.

Developed as part of the GÖKTUĞ Project, the BOZDOĞAN missile is expected to enter the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces after the firing tests have been completed which are to be carried out in 2020. The GÖKTUĞ Project was initiated in 2013 to replace the missiles currently used by the Turkish Air Force with national systems.