Turkey Unveils First Armed Unmanned Surface Vehicle

Antalya-based ARES Shipyard and Ankara-based Meteksan Defence unveiled a concept of Turkey’s first Armed Unmanned Surface Vehicle (AUSV) “ULAQ” on Wednesday.

Armed Unmanned Surface Vehicle, whose prototype will be launched in December, is going to be the first platform of the “ULAQ” line, Meteksan said in a release.

ULAQ; has been built from advanced composites, has 400 km range, 65 km/h speed, day/night vision capabilities, encrypted communication infrastructure, which can be operated from mobile vehicles and headquarters or from sea platforms such as aircraft carriers or frigates, will be used for missions like intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, surface warfare, asymmetric warfare, escort missions, strategic infrastructure protection.

The prototype vessel; whose design was completed in August and the structural build has just been completed, is planned to be launched into Mediterranean waters in December after completion of outfitting. First AUSV’s missile systems are inclusive of 4 cells of Cirit and 2 of L-UMTAS, supplied by our national missile systems provider ROKETSAN, where the firing tests are planned in the first quarter of 2021.

Along with the missile systems, AUSV will be equipped with different variations of communication and intelligence systems like jamming and electronic warfare systems to correspond diverse operational needs. AUSV will be able to carry out joint operations with complementary forces such as UAV’s, AUAV’s and TUAV’s. Furthermore, AUSV is not only a remotely controlled vehicle but also and more importantly an autonomous vehicle that hosts artificial intelligence.

After the first prototype vessel, other USVs for the operations like surveillance and intelligence, mine counter measures, anti-submarine warfare, firefighting, search and rescue missions, will be manufactured, the companies said.