The first series of tests of Türkiye’s Indigenous Vertical Launch System, MİDLAS, have been successfully passed, the Defense Ministry and the Defense Industry Agency (SSB) have announced.

“MİDLAS, produced by Roketsan, has succeeded in its first tests by launching a HİSAR rocket,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement on December 3, local media reported.

The system will be installed on the Istanbul-class frigate in 2023 after passing a series of tests.

“MİDLAS will be added to the Turkish Navy’s inventory in 2023,” the Ministry said and congratulated “all those who contributed to MİDLAS, which will halt foreign dependency on the need for vertical launch systems on sea platforms.

“We are paving the base of our national air defense systems to be fired from our warships,” said İsmail Demir, President of SSB, in a tweet.

According to defense officials, MİDLAS will be able to launch indigenous air defense rockets, such as HİSAR, SİPER and G-40, anti-ship rockets, such as Atmaca and OMG, and cruise missiles, such as Gezgin.