Ares Shipyard and Meteksan Defence jointly developed the platform and integrated Roketsan’s Cirit and L-Umtas (Laser Guided) anti-tank missile.
The Cirit had a live warhead at today’s test while the President of Defence Industries Professor Ismail Demir, the owner of Ares Shipyard, Kerim Kalafatoğlu, Meteksan Defence Chairman of the Board, Tunç Batum were watching live broadcasting from the test range. According to the video released, military observant that attended to DenizKurdu Naval Exercise participated in the event.
The platform is controlled with a remote control station with a data link. The platform, carrying missiles, can perform surveillance missions and neutralise the target.
The unmanned platform was tested yesterday with telemetry and simulation but had no live ammunition.
Senior officials from the Presidency of Defence Industries, the Ministry of National Defence, the Naval Forces Command and the Coast Guard Command attended the ceremony. ULAQ AUSV shooting ceremony started with the speeches of Utku Alanç, General Manager of ARES Shipyard, and Selçuk Alparslan, General Manager of Meteksan Defence.
ARES Shipyard General Manager Utku Alanç emphasized that with the completion of the firing tests, they are now aiming to develop the World’s Best Unmanned Surface Vehicles and to lead the world as Turkish Engineers in this field, as well as making our country a trend in the world in the field of unmanned vessels, just like aircraft. He said that they aim to make it a pioneer and ally country.
Meteksan Defence General Manager Selçuk Alparslan stated that we, like Turkey, pioneered the doctrines rewritten in the world military conjuncture, and said that they are very proud of the fact that the ULAQ AUSV, the most comprehensive naval exercise in the history of the Republic of Turkey, was carried out in 2021.
After the opening speeches, ULAQ AUSV was directed from the Coast Control Station (SAKI) and transferred to the shooting area. The Naval Forces Command and Coast Guard Command platforms also accompanied the shooting. After cameras detected the target on the ULAQ, the CİRİT Laser Guided Missile System was fired.
After the shot, President of Defence Industries Demir made a statement. He said, “Today, it is obvious that we have a strong sea power for the protection of the Blue Homeland and the protection of our rights in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. As the Presidency of Defence Industries, we will continue to work in close cooperation with the Ministry of National Defence, our General Staff, the Naval Forces Command, our industry and other relevant institutions to provide the platforms required by our Naval Forces Command, which is the indomitable guardians of the Blue Homeland. We have reached localization rates of up to 70 per cent in our projects, and we will increase this even more.
When we begin to see similar products of our products, which are now on the field as a game-changer in unmanned aerial vehicles, come to live inland, naval and submarine vehicles are very close. We know that the combat environment in which these systems work in integration awaits us, and we continue our work accordingly. We support the work to be put forward in this regard, and we will continue to do so. ”.
ULAQ; It can be used by mobile land vehicles and headquarters command centre or floating platforms such as aircraft carriers and frigates in the performance of missions such as Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Intelligence, Anti-Surface Warfare, Asymmetric Warfare, Armed Escort and Force Protection, Strategic Facility Security.
Equipped with ROKETSAN’s four CİRİT and two L-UMTAS Missile Systems, ULAQ AUSV, and its missile systems to respond to different operational operation needs; It can be equipped with different types of payloads such as electronic warfare, jamming, and different communication and intelligence systems. ULAQ can operate with other unmanned vessels that are identical with it or with other UAVs, AUSV, UCAVs and manned aircraft; In addition to being only a remotely controlled unmanned sea vehicle, it includes artificial intelligence and autonomous behavioural features and superior and ahead of the age capabilities.
Following the SIDA version of the ULAQ Family, which is the first phase of the project initiated by ARES Shipyard and Meteksan Defence in the field of unmanned marine vehicles and whose firing tests were completed, unmanned marine vehicles for intelligence gathering, mine hunting, submarine defence warfare, firefighting and humanitarian aid/evacuation purposes are also production will begin.
