Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that the site acceptance test of Türkiye's first domestic and national civil surveillance radar, developed by Turkish engineers, has successfully completed, and it is ready to serve at Gaziantep Airport.
In a written statement, Minister Uraloğlu emphasized that with the introduction of the National Surveillance Radar (MGR), a significant step has been taken in air traffic control services in Turkey.
Uraloğlu stated that the MGR will detect aircraft with its strategic position and successfully transfer air traffic to the air traffic management software that are currently being used by air traffic controllers in Turkish airspace, ensuring the safe and secure continuation of intense air traffic in Turkish airspace.
Transportation Minister Uraloğlu emphasized that the system will contribute to a safe and secure management of air traffic, stating, “It will increase the efficiency of air traffic control services, reduce external dependencies, and contribute to Türkiye's technological development in the aviation field.”
Minister Uraloğlu noted that the National Surveillance Radar (MGR), developed entirely by Turkish engineers and domestic resources in collaboration with the State Airports Authority and TÜBİTAK, was provisionally accepted on site.
Uraloğlu mentioned that the intellectual and industrial property rights of the national surveillance radar, consisting of Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) and SSR Mode-S (Secondary Surveillance Radar) systems, belong to DHMI.
Minister Uraloğlu stated that the infrastructure acceptances for the radar facility in Gaziantep was completed in 2020, and the final acceptance works for the Primary Surveillance Radar system within the facility were carried out in 2022.
Primary and secondary radar systems will operate together
Uraloğlu mentioned that the site acceptance stage of the Secondary Surveillance Radar system started in 2023, and stated, “As part of these efforts, the system's performance was evaluated, and a series of tests were conducted to ensure that all criteria and requirements were met. With these efforts, both the primary and secondary radar systems have been brought to the stage of working together.”
The airspace will be monitored 24/7
Transportation Minister Uraloğlu emphasized that the National Surveillance Radar (MGR), with a primary surveillance radar system range of 112 kilometers (60NM) and a secondary surveillance radar system range of 370 kilometers (200NM), will monitor the controlled airspace 24/7.
Significant progress has been made in air traffic control services
Uraloğlu stated that the system would provide approach traffic services for Gaziantep Airport on one hand and manage en-route traffic within a 370-kilometer radius on the other. He mentioned, "With the activation of MGR, Turkey has achieved a significant milestone in air traffic control services."
The Turkish airspace will be monitored using national and domestic capabilities
Minister Uraloğlu stated that, as part of a program aiming to be established in different regions, the project envisions the entire 1 million square kilometres of Turkish airspace being monitored entirely with national and domestic capabilities. He emphasized, "Designed in accordance with the recommendations of the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL), the MGR meets all the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The fact that MGR is a domestic system has made a significant contribution to Türkiye's indigenous and national production efforts in the aviation sector."
It will contribute to the safe and secure management of air traffic, enhance the efficiency of Air Traffic Control services, reduce external dependence, and contribute to the technological development in Türkiye's aviation sector.
It provides all the necessary functions for the detection and tracking of aircraft.
It integrates both PSR (Primary Surveillance Radar) and SSR Mode-S (Secondary Surveillance Radar) systems. Designed for use in approach and area control services in the 1 million square kilometres of Turkish airspace, it provides all the necessary functions for the detection and tracking of aircraft. Developed entirely by Turkish engineers and with local resources.
KESKİN: "We are Elevating Our Aviation to the Pinnacle of the World with Great Projects and Monuments"
Chairman of the Board and General Manager, Dr. Hüseyin Keskin, shared the following statements on the matter through his social media account (@dhmihkeskin):
As an organization that elevates our aviation to the pinnacle of the world with great projects and monuments, we closely follow technology with an innovative approach and focus special importance to R&D projects.
We take pride in the site acceptance of the National Surveillance Radar (MGR), developed entirely with domestic and national capabilities by our engineers in collaboration with #TÜBİTAK, with intellectual and proprietary rights belonging to DHMİ.
The MGR, which will monitor the control of the airspace 24/7, will provide approach traffic services for Gaziantep Airport while also managing en-route traffic within a range of 370 kilometres.
With the #NationalTechnologyInitiative, opening new horizons and goals, I extend my heartfelt thanks to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, our Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr. Abdulkadir Uraloğlu @a_uraloglu, and our Minister of Industry and Technology, Mr. Mehmet Fatih Kacır @mfatihkacir, for their support given to this project befitting the Century of Türkiye.
May it be auspicious for our country and aviation.
DHMI is Working, Türkiye is Flying!