After three years of development and qualification, the first serial-production radars have left the line at the OSTİM facility.
Sancar Defence Electronics has started serial production of the S-band three-dimensional SR-420 active electronically scanned air surveillance radar. The first serial radars left the line at a ceremony held at the production facility in Ankara OSTİM. Representatives of authorised institutions, suppliers and company management attended.
A three-year process
SR-420 development began in 2023. After the preliminary design review that year, the first prototypes of the GaN-based transmit–receive modules were produced. Antenna measurements in the anechoic chamber were completed in 2024, and open-field and environmental qualification tests in 2025. More than 120 engineers worked on the project.
Technical highlights
The radar is designed to detect 1 m² radar cross-section targets up to 420 km. The system can track 1,500 targets at once and features adaptive jamming suppression against cruise missiles, UAVs and low-RCS targets. The antenna consists of thousands of GaN modules, and the failure of one module affects performance only marginally.
Production capacity
The new line was built with a capacity of 24 radars a year. It includes an ESD-protected assembly area, automatic optical inspection, module-level burn-in testing and system-level acceptance tests. 72% of parts are sourced domestically; a multi-source strategy is applied for the remaining critical components.
Statement from management
General Manager Tarık Alpaslan said at the ceremony: "SR-420 is the product of our 30 years of radar engineering heritage. Serial production means more than product design: it is the maturing of a whole ecosystem such as supply chain, quality assurance and life-cycle support."
Next steps
Integration work will continue for the naval adaptation and mobile trailer version of SR-420. The company also announced that it is accelerating the delivery schedule of SR-180, the new 3D tactical member of the radar family.
Media contact
Press requests can be sent to basin@sancarelektronik.com.tr. Technical information about the product is shared with authorised institutions after an eligibility review.
Supply chain and localisation
The most critical assessment in taking the serial-production decision was the supply chain. Alternative sources were identified for GaN semiconductor wafers, high-frequency substrates and FPGAs, and a strategic stock policy was established. All mechanical subsystems such as antenna housing, power supply, cooling and cabin are made by subcontractors in and around Ankara.
Employment and training
The new line provides 140 direct jobs. Production technicians go through 14 weeks of in-house training in antenna assembly and module testing. The company also runs an annual internship and scholarship programme for vocational high-school students.