TÜBİTAK’s 2025 activity report includes the completion of the YDYFR HF-band maritime surveillance over-the-horizon (OTH) radar project for the Turkish Navy.
The Turkish Navy is getting an upgrade for maritime surveillance capabilities with the Surface Wave High-Frequency Radar (YDYFR) project, which was completed in 2025, according to TÜBİTAK’s 2025 activity report.
YDYFR covers the development of a HF-band OTH radar using the surface as a beam bender to provide long-range surveillance against surface and, in some cases, airborne targets.
Raytheon’s HF-SWR-503 radar employs the same principle, having a bubble-like radar coverage that is bent along the Earth’s curvature. The radar is actively used by Canada to monitor its neighbouring large maritime area.
Such radars are set up as fixed sites due to the amount and size of antennas required, and can be considered on a more strategic level compared to a generic transportable radar that performs direct search. Due to the frequency band, OTH radars usually have an accuracy in 100+ m regime.
In Turkiye’s case, YDYFR is mainly beneficial for general maritime surveillance for the exclusive economic zone and potentially supports coastal defence capabilities by providing an approximate location of enemy ships for anti-ship missiles.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor:Özgür Ekşi
