Turkey successfully tested an MK-48 general purpose bomb using the newly unveiled Warhead Rail System Dynamic Test Infrastructure (HABRAS), breaking the sound barrier and successfully destroying a steel-equipped armored-concrete target.
HABRAS is used to test the efficiency of domestically-developed weapons systems, acceptance tests of mass-produced ammunitions and weapons systems purchased from abroad.
Reaching a speed of 850 km/h, the one-ton projectile broke the sound barrier by 1.5x.
Taking to Twitter, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank hailed the successful test as a “historical milestone” for Turkey in nationalizing military tests.
Back in October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had unveiled HABRAS at a ceremony for National Technology Development and Infrastructure in Ankara
The president said TUBITAK's Defense Industry Research and Development Institute (SAGE) provides significant contributions to the Turkish defense industry with its high technology weapon systems.
"With the launch of HABRAS, our defense industry has acquired an important capability and infrastructure that is limited to a number of countries such as America, England, France, Germany, Russia and China," Erdoğan said at the event.
