Turkey has been building its own defence industry for years, and the TOLUN glide bomb is a striking example of that. The system is designed for use from F-16s, JF-17 Thunders, HALE drones and other fourth and 4.5-generation aircraft. With a range of more than a hundred kilometres, it makes it possible to attack targets deep in enemy territory without the launch platform itself having to come within range of heavy air defence. See below how this bomb is tested and hits a target.
What TOLUN is exactly and why it stands out
At its core, TOLUN is a glide bomb that combines a conventional, relatively simple bomb with an advanced guidance kit. Through GPS and inertial navigation, and in some variants also imaging sensors, a “dumb” bomb becomes a precision weapon. After release, the wing mechanism unfolds and the bomb can glide tens of kilometres towards its target. That may sound technical, but the impact is strategic. Instead of expensive cruise missiles, an air force can now carry out stand-off strikes with cheaper means.
Comparison with American glide bombs
Anyone wanting to compare TOLUN with American systems soon ends up with the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb. Like the American SDB, TOLUN belongs to the light precision weapons specially designed to be used from long range. The philosophy is similar: a small weapon, a relatively low cost and yet a long range and high accuracy. The later American StormBreaker variant goes a step further with multiple sensors to hit moving targets as well. With TOLUN, Turkey is clearly on the same track and is visibly working on variants with more extensive sensors, indicating that its ambitions go beyond a basic GPS bomb.
Image: the TOLUN bomb folded and mounted four at a time on an F-16
The link with Ukraine and today’s battlefield
The relevance of this type of weapon can be clearly seen in Ukraine. There, glide bombs are used on a large scale, both by Russia and by Ukraine itself. Aircraft often release the bombs at seventy to eighty kilometres away, sometimes even further. That makes it almost impossible to shoot down the launching aircraft, while the bomb itself is small, flies low and is hard to intercept. Air defence is thus placed in a difficult dilemma: use expensive missiles against relatively cheap munitions, or let the target be hit. TOLUN fits exactly into this pattern and shows that Turkey is learning lessons from current conflicts.
Why this bomb is so hard to stop
A glide bomb like TOLUN has no engine that is hot and clearly visible, as with a missile. Its profile is small, its trajectory relatively flat and its speed high enough to limit the reaction time of air defence. Moreover, the bomb can be released from different altitudes and speeds, making interception even more complex. This explains why many countries are investing in weapons like these: they are an efficient way to saturate air defence without enormous costs.
Turkey’s broader defence ambition
TOLUN does not stand alone. It is part of a much larger movement in which Turkey is step by step reducing its dependence on foreign weapon systems. From drones and sensors to missiles and now also glide bombs, more and more systems are developed entirely nationally. For Ankara, this means not only more strategic autonomy, but also a strong export product. Countries that do not have access to American or European weapons, or that want to avoid political conditions, look with interest at Turkish alternatives.
