Recently, at the International Defense Industry Fair in Istanbul, Türkiye, a hybrid directed energy weapon system named "Alka Kaplan" attracted wide attention. This weapon system was jointly developed by Türkiye Roxitsan Defense Industry Company and FNSS Company, combining the "Kaplan" hybrid armored vehicle of FNSS Company and the "Alka" laser directed energy weapon system of Roxitsan Defense Industry Company, aiming to deal with the increasingly serious threat of unmanned aerial vehicles. According to the data, the "Alka Kaplan" hybrid directed energy weapon system has a length of 5.6 meters, a width of 3 meters, a height of 2.4 meters, a crew of 5, a combat weight of 17.5 tons, and a working temperature range of minus 32 degrees Celsius to 49 degrees Celsius. The weapon system adopts the new hybrid technology developed by FNSS company, equipped with 2 permanent magnet synchronous motors, with a continuous power of 397 horsepower and a peak power of 617 horsepower. At the same time, the weapon system is also equipped with a 400 horsepower diesel generator, a two speed gearbox, and an 800 volt 56 kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery, with a power to weight ratio of 22 to 35 horsepower/ton. This new hybrid technology not only provides strong power for vehicles, but also provides sufficient energy support for laser weapon systems with huge energy consumption. Analysts say that the new hybrid technology gives the weapon system good maneuverability and concealment, with a maximum highway speed of 65 kilometers per hour, an acceleration time of less than 6 seconds from 0 to 32 kilometers per second, a range of 525 kilometers, and the ability to cross vertical obstacles 0.75 meters high and trenches 1.8 meters wide. In pure electric mode, the weapon system can achieve silent driving and operate the onboard system for reconnaissance and communication, significantly reducing acoustic and thermal signal characteristics. In silent driving mode, the weapon system can continuously travel 20 kilometers at a constant speed of 10 kilometers per hour; In silent monitoring mode, after turning off the air conditioning, it can run continuously for 48 hours. In addition, the new hybrid technology significantly reduces the waste heat and noise emissions of the weapon system, while enhancing its endurance. This technology utilizes the energy recovery characteristics of electric motors to convert the vehicle's kinetic energy into electrical energy during braking and store it in the battery pack, effectively reducing dependence on liquid fuels on the battlefield. Another major advantage of the "Alka Kaplan" hybrid directed energy weapon system is the integration of the "Alka" laser directed energy weapon system. The system, developed by Türkiye Roktsan National Defense Industry Company and mass produced in 2023, is a double-layer ultra short range hybrid air defense system that can use electromagnetic interference weapons or laser weapons to jam or strike UAVs. However, the "Alka Kaplan" hybrid directed energy weapon system unveiled this time is only equipped with laser directed energy weapons and does not carry electromagnetic interference devices. It is reported that its laser directional energy weapon consists of three lasers and one photoelectric camera, which can rotate 360 degrees and adjust the maximum effective range with power changes. In addition, the phased array detection radar integrated at the tail of the "Alka Kaplan" hybrid directional energy weapon system can simultaneously track about 100 targets. The laser directional energy weapon system can achieve precise detection and tracking of threat targets through radar, and combine AI assisted image processing technology to automatically detect and track targets, reducing false alarm rates. Analysts point out that the "Alka Kaplan" hybrid directed energy weapon system can be considered a strong alliance. On the one hand, the new hybrid technology gives it significant advantages such as high maneuverability, high concealment, and flexible operation; On the other hand, the laser directed energy weapon system has shown outstanding performance in anti drone capabilities, making it have strong export potential in the international market. Of course, this weapon system also has obvious drawbacks: for example, the laser directed energy weapon system has a large volume, a short range, and a long attack time, which to some extent restricts its combat effectiveness and market competitiveness. (New Society)