Turkey has installed a Turkish-made air traffic control radar system at Damascus International Airport, a step Israeli media outlets say could affect Israel’s ability to operate in Syrian airspace.
The installation involves the HTRS-100 radar system produced by Turkish defense contractor ASELSAN. The deployment was first reported by The Jerusalem Post, which cited Western sources warning that the radar’s coverage could complicate Israeli air activity over Syria.
Syrian civil aviation authorities rejected that characterization, saying the system is used only for civilian air traffic control.
Türkiye installed ASELSAN’s HTRS-100 Air Traffic Control Radar at #Damascus Airport, #Syria. The System equipped with advanced target tracking and clutter suppression algorithms 🇹🇷🇸🇾#Türkiye pic.twitter.com/LpUMlv8hxu
— Dean Shmuel Elmas (@ElmasDean) January 21, 2026
Israeli media raise concerns
The Jerusalem Post said the HTRS-100 can detect and track aircraft around airports at ranges of about 150 to 200 kilometers.
The newspaper said Israeli officials and analysts view the system as a factor that could narrow Israel’s longstanding operational freedom in Syrian airspace.
Over the past year, Israel has carried out frequent air operations in Syria and has also used Syrian airspace for strikes beyond the country, the report said.
It recalled earlier Israeli strikes on Syrian military sites after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government amid concerns that Turkey could seek a more permanent presence in Syria.
A senior Israeli security official was quoted as saying at the time that the establishment of a Turkish air base in Syria would be a “potential threat” to Israel’s freedom of action.
Syria says radar has no military role
Syria’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation and Air Transport on Wednesday issued a written statement denying claims that the radar has a military function, saying it is used only for civil air navigation and air traffic management.
Official Statement
The General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport confirms that the radar recently commissioned at Damascus International Airport is a purely civil radar, dedicated exclusively to civil air navigation and air traffic management purposes, and operates…
— Omar Hosari عمر الحصري (@ohosari) January 21, 2026
The directorate said it retains full authority over the system and that it operates under Syrian law and in line with international rules set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Chicago Convention on civil aviation.
Syrian officials said the installation is part of efforts to modernize the country’s aviation infrastructure, improve flight safety and strengthen airspace management.
Technical details
Syrian authorities said the HTRS-100 uses a dual surveillance configuration that combines primary surveillance radar operating in the S-Band with secondary surveillance radar components.
They said the system includes clutter suppression and target-tracking features and uses a distributed active hot-standby architecture designed to keep the radar operating if a component fails.
The system’s range can be configured to 80 or 100 nautical miles, about 185 kilometers.
Turkey confirms installation
Turkey’s embassy in Damascus has said the HTRS-100 system was being installed at Damascus International Airport to improve civilian flight safety.
Turkish Ambassador to Syria Nuh Yilmaz described the move as an infrastructure upgrade for the capital’s main airport.
Neither Turkish nor Syrian officials have said the system will be used for military purposes.