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Home» News»Video: Turkey’s Armed USV ‘ULAQ’ starts sea trials
IMDEX Asia 2023

Video: Turkey’s Armed USV ‘ULAQ’ starts sea trials

Turkish companies ARES Shipyard and METEKSAN Defence announced that the prototype ULAQ armed unmanned surface vessel (USV) has been launched and its sea trials have started.

Xavier Vavasseur 13 Feb 2021

Those trials are taking place off the coast of Antalya, on Turkey’s southern coast where ARES Shipyard is located.

Utku Alanç, Chief Executive Officer of ARES Shipyard, and Selçuk K. Alparslan, General Manager of Meteksan Defence, stated:

“In the field of Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs); we would like to proudly announce that we have launched the first Armed Unmanned Surface Vehicle of ULAQ series, and have initiated the intensive sea trials period. From now on, our next short term target is to complete the sea trials successfully and carry out the guided missile firing tests. Since the very first announcement of ULAQ Unmanned Systems, we have encountered significant interest from our country and our allies. This interest and support has given us great incentive to design and build unique, state-of-the-art solutions. On this wise, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Turkish Ministry of National Defense, The Presidency of Defense Industries and Turkish Naval Forces and all our citizens who have provided full support since the very first launch of ULAQ program.”

ULAQ was first unveiled in October 2020. The USV 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.

Turkey's Armed USV 'ULAQ' starts sea trials
The ULAQ USV during sea trials off the coast of Antalya, on Turkey’s southern coast. ARES Shipyard picture.

The prototype AUSV’s missile systems are inclusive of 4 cells of Cirit and 2 of L-UMTAS, supplied by Turkish missile systems provider Roketsan, where the firing tests are planned in the end of Q1-2021.

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.

It is stated by ARES Shipyard and Meteksan Defence that; after the first prototype vessel, other USVs for the operations like surveillance and intelligence, mine counter measures, anti-submarine warfare, fire-fighting, search and rescue missions, will be ready to manufacture accordingly.

Ares Shipyard Turkey Unmanned Surface Vessel USV 2021-02-13
Tags Ares Shipyard Turkey Unmanned Surface Vessel USV
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DEFEA 2023

Authors

Posted by : Xavier Vavasseur
Xavier is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for nearly a decade.

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