As warfare moves toward robotics, reliable anti-drone systems are essential, says defense firm head
Turkish defense firm Bogazici Defense Technologies is drawing attention at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025 with its cutting-edge drone detection and neutralization system, Ilter.
The 17th edition of the six-day defense fair IDEF, which started on Tuesday, is being held simultaneously at the Istanbul Fair Center, Ataturk Airport, Wow Hotel, and Atakoy Marina.
Anadolu is the global communications partner of the event, organized by KFA Fairs with support from Türkiye’s Defense Industries Secretariat and the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation.
Numerous products developed within the Turkish defense industry are being exhibited at the fair, including Bogazici Defense Technologies Ilter drone detection and neutralization systems.
General Manager Cevdet Kaplan told Anadolu that the firm has been developing anti-drone technologies since 2018, keeping pace with rapid advancements in drone warfare. He explained that the impact of technological advancements on the drone world in recent years has changed the types of weapons being used as well as techniques in the field of operations.
"Today, we are facing a fifth-generation warfare that is moving towards robotic warfare. All we have against this is reliable anti-drone systems."
Kaplan stated that the firm introduced the Ilter J350 at IDEF 2025, adding that the more advanced J400 system will enter production later this year.
Pointing out that drones can now emerge from anywhere at any time, Kaplan said: "First and foremost, you need to create good situational awareness and have a detection system. To achieve this, the more sensors you add to your systems, the more you strengthen your detection layer. We do this with radar up to 30 kilometers."
Kaplan also explained that they also implemented the RF detection systems in the jamming system, adding: "This also has two layers. One is the classic RF detection system, and the other is protocol-based detection. With protocol-based detection, we have the ability to obtain all the information about the drone and its remote control."
The system displays information on the user’s screen, showing where the incoming drone originated, its heading, and all its traces up to 30 kilometers away.
Ilter can also locate the drone’s remote control. In modern warfare, while neutralizing the drone is vital, identifying and capturing the operator is even more critical.
"With this system, we can locate the drone's operator. Once detected, the user can automatically or manually activate the jamming system and shoot down the drone, he added.
- "We can jam and spoof a wide bandwidth"
Kaplan emphasized that the system can jam across a wide bandwidth, from 400 MHz to 8000 MHz, adding that in addition to jamming, they can also spoof coordinates.
Kaplan stated that their system acts like a fake satellite, generating false coordinates, "The drone can't get its true coordinates from the satellites, and we block it.”
"We can redirect the drone to another location. As a result, the drone crashes and never finds its target."
Noting that the Turkish Armed Forces currently uses more than 500 of their products, Kaplan said: "The Ministry of Interior and other security forces also use our products. In addition, we have shipped our products to five to six African countries and Azerbaijan. Our products, which were also used in the Karabakh War, have yielded very positive results."
Kaplan noted that drone attacks are now the first thing almost every country expects, and that delegations from various countries participating in IDEF 2025 visited their stands to explore protective solutions.
"All of the nearly 1,000 systems we have produced have been tested in various operational environments," Kaplan explained.
Sharing that their stand hosted at least seven high-level officials from different countries every day at IDEF 2025, Kaplan said: "All of the delegations we've hosted are very interested. What matters to them are proven systems. They want to choose systems that have been tested in real operational environments, in conventional warfare."
Kaplan noted that they consider themselves very fortunate in terms of system trials, noting: "All of the nearly 1,000 systems we've produced to date have been tested in various operational environments. We make improvements based on their feedback. We release a new product almost every year because drone technology is evolving so rapidly. Therefore, anti-drone systems must continue to develop at the same pace."
