Two R&D projects are ongoing within TÜBİTAK BİLGEM to provide new capabilities in the radar field as multi-static sensing and metamaterial-based antennas, as stated in the 2025 activity recap of TÜBİTAK.
Multi-Static Radar Technologies
Within the scope of the Multi-Static Radar Capability Acquisition (MSRYK) programme, a simulated user interface with operational definitions and fusion parameters was completed in 2025.
The significance of multi-static radar technology lies in the advantages brought by the use of multiple radar units to practically act as one, as both transmitters and receivers.
Using two radars viewing the target from two or more angles, receiving both each other’s and their own reflection, mainly improves the resolution and offers improved detection against targets employing RCS reduction techniques that focus on reducing the reflection towards the radar.
Metamaterial Antennas
Another new technology that TÜBİTAK BİLGEM’s BTE worked on in 2025 is the metamaterial antennas, which are promising especially for compact radars. Holographic Antenna Array (HOLAD) and Electronically Scanned Metamaterial Antenna Array (ETMAD) are directly related to R&D in this field.
HOLAD aims for the development, testing, and optimisation of metamaterial antennas that offer high performance in beamforming and steering.
ETMAD is aimed at the optimisation of prototype metamaterial antennas and the study of alternative design work.
Metamaterial-based radars with extremely small size, low power consumption, and wide angular coverage have recently started their career in defence. In addition to performance gains, metamaterial antennas offer more flexiblity array layouts, potentially allowing the installation of radars in otherwise constrained volumes.
EchoDyne’s highly compact radar family is a notable example in terms of transition to the product phase. Echoguard for very short range and Echoshield for short-range have recently been implemented for various systems, including MSI Defence’s LW20G RCWS, Unirobotics TRAKON RCWS, and ROKETSAN’s PUSU missile launcher with CİRİT laser-guided missiles.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor:Özgür Ekşi
