MKE Laser Weapon System Destroys Drone During Debut at Turkish Army Live-Fire Exercise
MKE’s laser weapon system has made its debut in a live-fire test, and the result was clear. During Ateş Serbest 2026, a live-fire exercise run by the Turkish Army, the MKE laser weapon system destroyed a drone target at a range of 760 metres. The system is part of MKE’s TOLGA Short-Range Air Defence System, and it can engage air, land and maritime threats.
Power and Design of the MKE Laser Weapon System
The system has a total fibre laser power of 20kW, made up of four 5kW units. This output gives it the reach and strength needed to counter modern aerial threats. Its design follows MKE’s “Effective – Simple – Affordable” approach, which focuses on practical systems that are easy to operate and within reach for buyers.
The laser runs fully integrated with the detection, tracking and command and control infrastructure of the TOLGA system. This connection means that threats picked up by sensors can be passed directly to the laser for engagement. As a result, operators can respond quickly without switching between separate systems.
Three Engagement Modes Against Aerial Threats
The system offers three engagement modes, each suited to a different distance. In dazzling mode, the laser targets the threat’s camera and causes a temporary loss of vision. This works at ranges between 4,500 and 2,500 metres.
Blockout mode uses the same targeting method but produces a permanent loss of vision. It operates between 2,500 and 1,500 metres. At closer ranges, from 1,500 to 100 metres, the system moves to destruction mode. Here, the laser inflicts structural damage on the target and neutralises the threat.
The turret provides 360-degree coverage. It uses linear motor technology, which converts electrical energy directly into linear motion. This allows the system to track detected threats with high precision, acceleration and speed.
20 mm Twin-Barrel Weapon System Adds Firepower
The TOLGA Short-Range Air Defence System also carried out its first live-fire engagements at Ateş Serbest 2026. The system fired its 12.7 mm and 20 mm fixed and vehicle-mounted weapon turrets, along with its 20 mm twin-barrel weapon system. The system is designed to counter fixed-wing kamikaze UAVs, drones, cruise missiles and other asymmetric threats.
The 20 mm twin-barrel system delivers concentrated firepower against aircraft in the air. Each gun fires at 1,500 rounds per minute. When both guns operate on the same turret, the combined rate reaches 3,000 rounds per minute.
An Integrated Approach to Air Defence
The TOLGA system brings several technologies together in one platform. It includes the GÖKBÖRÜ AESA radar, an acoustic detection system, electro-optical sensors, an electronic jamming system and an advanced command and control infrastructure. Once these components detect and track a threat, operators can engage it using electronic jamming, lasers or weapons.
Anti-drone fragmented ammunition adds another layer of protection. MKE developed this ammunition for its 12.7 mm, 20 mm and 35 mm weapon systems, and it allows the physical destruction of threats. Together, these tools give the TOLGA system a flexible response to drones and other low-cost aerial threats.
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