ASELSAN ŞAHİN, also written Sahin, is a Turkish counter-drone system that uses a remotely controlled 40 mm grenade launcher and programmable airburst ammunition. It is designed for close-range engagements against mini and micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). ASELSAN publishes an engagement range of up to 700 m for the ŞAHİN 130/40GL.
The Pakistan Air Force revealed ŞAHİN in September 2026 alongside HQ-17AE, Korkut and LD-76, according to Quwa’s reporting on the PAF’s new air-defence systems. Its role is distinct from the longer-range surface-to-air missiles covered in the Pakistan Air Defence guide.
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ŞAHİN specifications at a glance
These are ASELSAN’s published product specifications. They do not establish every detail of the equipment supplied to Pakistan.
| Characteristic | Published specification |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer and origin | ASELSAN, Türkiye |
| Product designation | ŞAHİN 130/40GL |
| Weapon | 40 mm MK19 Mod 3 grenade launcher |
| Ammunition | ATOM 40 ABM programmable airburst ammunition |
| Counter-drone range | Up to 700 m against mini and micro UAVs |
| Ammunition load | 64 rounds |
| Onboard sensors | TV camera, thermal imager and laser rangefinder |
| External cueing | Can receive target information from radar |
Source: ASELSAN’s December 2025 English brochure.
How does ŞAHİN counter drones?
ŞAHİN uses physical interception, commonly described as hard kill. Its ATOM ammunition bursts near a target and releases fragments. This differs from disrupting a drone’s communications with a jammer. ASELSAN identifies ŞAHİN as a platform for its 40×53 mm ATOM 40 ABM ammunition.
The system also has its own electro-optical detection and tracking equipment. ASELSAN’s Turkish product sheet describes both onboard tracking and automatic pointing towards positions supplied by radar. Those are complementary functions: external radar can provide a cue, while the weapon’s sensors contribute to tracking the target.
The onboard sensors listed by ASELSAN are electro-optical; the radar-cueing feature refers to information from an external radar.
What is ŞAHİN’s range?
The manufacturer-stated range against mini and micro drones is 700 m. ASELSAN’s March 2026 ATOM 40 ABM ammunition sheet distinguishes this from a 1,500 m figure for ground targets. The larger number should not be presented as ŞAHİN’s counter-drone range.
The figure applies to the stated mini/micro-UAV target category. It should not be extended to every aircraft, cruise missile or other aerial target.
ŞAHİN in Pakistan: what is known?
Quwa identified ŞAHİN in the PAF’s September 2026 reveal. This adds a specifically identified Turkish counter-drone product to the service’s publicly documented equipment. It does not date the original order or establish when operational acceptance occurred.
Pakistan’s quantity, contract price, delivery schedule and any local manufacturing agreement remain undisclosed in the reviewed reporting. The radar paired with the supplied systems and their connections to the PAF’s wider network are also unconfirmed.
ŞAHİN’s earlier Turkish history is better documented. ASELSAN’s 2022 annual report, page 65, records Turkish Armed Forces induction in the first half of 2022 and a first export contract in the second half. The customer is not named in that passage, so it cannot establish when Pakistan ordered the system.
How is ŞAHİN different from Korkut?
ŞAHİN uses a 40 mm grenade launcher for counter-mini/micro-UAV engagements. Korkut uses twin 35 mm cannon, with ASELSAN publishing a 4 km effective range for the 150/35 model. Although both use ammunition carrying the ATOM name, the 40 mm and 35 mm products are distinct and are not interchangeable.
The 700 m and 4 km figures describe different weapon roles and target conditions. The parent guide explains Korkut’s variants and the separate HQ-17AE missile system.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Sahin a surface-to-air missile?
No. ASELSAN ŞAHİN fires 40 mm grenade ammunition. It is a counter-drone weapon system, rather than a surface-to-air missile such as HQ-17AE.
Is ŞAHİN a laser weapon?
No. Its laser rangefinder is a sensor used to measure distance. The system’s counter-drone effect comes from its ammunition, not a high-energy laser beam.
Does ŞAHİN need an external radar to track a target?
It has onboard electro-optical detection and tracking, as well as an external radar-cueing capability. Describing it as wholly dependent on an external radar would omit its own sensors. ASELSAN product sheet
Has Pakistan acquired the İHTAR system with ŞAHİN?
The reviewed Pakistan reporting does not establish that. ASELSAN’s 2022 annual report describes ŞAHİN’s ability to work with İHTAR, but product compatibility is not evidence that a particular customer purchased both.
Has ŞAHİN demonstrated combat effectiveness in Pakistan?
The reviewed sources establish a public reveal, not a Pakistani combat record. They do not support a verified success rate or a claim of defeating a specific missile or drone model.
