In December 2025, Qatar took delivery of its first ULAQ armed unmanned surface vehicle (USV) from Türkiye’s Ares Shipyard, with the platform now operational with the Qatar Coast Guard Command. The delivery follows a contract signed in October 2024 during the DIMDEX 2024 exhibition in Doha.
The delivered USV is a ULAQ 11 ISR/PSV variant, developed jointly by ARES Shipyard and Meteksan Defence. Qatar is the first export customer for the ULAQ platform, which Türkiye began developing in 2019. The vessel arrived in Qatar in December 2024 and completed testing and acceptance procedures before entering service. ULAQ’s ASuW variant was commissioned by the Turkish Navy in late December as well.
The ULAQ 11 measures 11 meters in length with a beam of 2.6 meters and a draft of 0.6 meters. The platform is powered by twin diesel engines providing a maximum speed of 35 knots and a range of 400 kilometers. The vessel can operate for up to 10 hours at cruising speed.
The Qatar Coast Guard’s ULAQ is equipped with a SARP-DUAL 12.7mm remotely operated weapon system manufactured by Aselsan. The platform also carries a naval radar system, electro-optical/infrared sensors, and encrypted communication systems. The vessel operates through autonomous navigation software developed by Meteksan Defence, with control maintained from a shore-based station.
The control station allows operators to monitor and direct the USV’s operations, including weapon system engagement. The platform can conduct missions in autonomous, semi-autonomous, or remote-controlled modes. The Qatar Coast Guard will use the vessel for coastal patrol, surveillance, and interdiction operations in territorial waters.
ARES Shipyard and Meteksan Defence developed the ULAQ platform family starting in 2019, with the first prototype completing sea trials in 2020. The platform uses a modular design allowing integration of different payloads depending on mission requirements. The ULAQ family includes variants ranging from 6 to 15 meters in length.
Qatar’s procurement of the ULAQ followed evaluation of several unmanned surface vehicle options. The Qatar Coast Guard cited the platform’s operational range, payload capacity, and autonomous capabilities in its selection. The service plans to integrate the ULAQ into its existing coastal security operations.
Turkey has positioned the ULAQ platform for export to countries seeking unmanned maritime capabilities. Several countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa have expressed interest in the platform. ARES Shipyard has stated it expects additional export contracts in 2026.
Author’s comments
Although unmanned surface vessels have not yet assumed a dominant role in naval warfare, significant progress has been made in this field over the past five years. While some navies have already added these systems into their inventories and begun limited operational use, countries seeking to strengthen their fleets with unmanned platforms are still working to develop Concepts of Operations (CONOPS) and to ensure effective integration with manned fleets.
Exercises such as the Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem conducted by the United States Navy, REPMUS and Dynamic Messenger organized by NATO, as well as the inclusion of unmanned systems in major exercises of the Turkish Naval Forces, primarily serve as capability demonstrations and as testbeds for manned–unmanned teaming (MUM-T). Nevertheless, the use of this technology in naval warfare remains at an early, exploratory stage.
That said, the overall trend is clearly shifting toward unmanned solutions, and the coming decade is likely to witness rapid and wide-ranging developments. Unmanned systems will not replace manned fleets; rather, they are expected to reduce the operational burden on manned units in ISR, patrol, and selected combat roles. By lowering risk and expanding tactical options, they offer decision-makers greater operational flexibility. Countries that successfully track this trend and integrate unmanned systems into their naval forces are therefore likely to achieve significant advances over the next 10–20 years.
The war in Ukraine has further highlighted both the vulnerabilities of traditional warships to such systems and the stark cost asymmetry involved. Practical battlefield experience, coupled with the growing prominence of a wide variety of unmanned platforms at defense exhibitions and the increasingly open discussion of these capabilities by many navies, underscores a broader reality: future operational planning will increasingly be built around unmanned systems.
In this context, Qatar’s decision to induct the ULAQ unmanned surface vehicle into service represents a notable development. As a platform well suited to the operational environment of the Persian Gulf, ULAQ is expected to significantly enhance Qatar’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities in a strategically sensitive region.
From the perspective of the Turkish defense industry, this export can be regarded as a major success story. Developing a capability entirely from scratch within just five to six years, inducting it into the inventory of the national armed forces, and then achieving an export order in such a short timeframe would rightly be considered a notable and well-earned achievement.
