Turkey tests MK-84 bomb in supersonic track

Test is reported to be longest in Europe

Arife Yildiz Unal

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey successfully tested an MK-48 general-purpose bomb using the first-ever Warhead Rail System Dynamic Test Infrastructure (HABRAS).

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the ceremony held by the Defense Industry Research and Development Institute (SAGE) of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK).

Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank praised the successful launch in a tweet saying it is an important development in the defense industry.

During the test, the bomb broke through the sound barrier and successfully destroyed a steel-equipped armored-concrete target at a speed of 850 km/h.

The test is reported to be the longest of Europe with a length of 2,000 meters double rail test line.

According to a statement from the Industry and Technology Ministry, tests that had to be carried out abroad before were supervised by the host country.

HABRAS was founded in June 2017 to test the efficiency of domestically-developed weapons systems and inaugurated on Oct. 31 by Erdogan.

Kaynak: