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Written By Hasan Özyurt, (R) Rear Admiral (UH), Management Consultant at Meteksan Defense Inc.
The concept of unmanned vehicles is not new, as we are all aware. What is new is the transformation of what was not possible a hundred years ago into technological realities over the past decade.
Among the categories of unmanned vehicles, the most rapidly advancing and widely applied systems in the military domain have been Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). It can confidently be stated, based on the development trend, that UAVs will continue to progress and proliferate at a similar pace, with Unmanned Fighter Aircraft being the next step in this evolution. While UAVs continue their rapid progress, it’s crucial to address another category of unmanned vehicles that has a distinct role in maritime affairs.
Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), though their initial applications trace back further in time, have lagged behind UAVs in modern military applications. While the reasons behind this discrepancy would require a thorough analysis, within the scope of this article, as a naval professional, I’ll provide a biased yet concise response: because maritime operations are inherently more complex and demand a much higher degree of “artificial intelligence.”
While USVs lag behind UAVs in terms of development, several key catalysts have been contributing to the progress of USVs: The achieved technological maturity required for their realization. The set example of the successful integration of UAVs into military applications, proving the potential of “unmanned” capabilities to political and military decision-makers. And acclimatizing them to the concept of “unmanned” operations. We will increasingly witness both civilian and military applications of USVs, witnessing their rapid proliferation. However, it’s unlikely that USVs will replace crewed vessels in the near future; this transformation will probably occur well after UAVs achieve the same. As previously stated, the maritime domain poses greater challenges.
Meteksan Defense Inc. and ARES Shipyard Inc. initiated the ULAQ USV project in 2018. The first prototype emerged in 2020, and its successful guided missile firing in 2022 marked a global milestone. This initiative continued with new members joining the ULAQ family. In the very near future, a fully operational ULAQ USV developed for the Turkish Naval Forces will be delivered.
ULAQ KAMA is another new addition to this family. Just as its name implies, ULAQ KAMA has a “KAMA (dagger)” shape and two cutting edges: design excellence and robust artificial intelligence. Design excellence provides ULAQ KAMA with features like stealthiness, high speed, agility, reliability, and survivability. The strong artificial intelligence equips it with the ability to cope with the uncertainties of the maritime and naval operational environment, achieve success against the defensive behaviors of targets, implement swarm tactics, and discern between targets.
ULAQ KAMA is not a mine, torpedo, submarine, patrol boat, or guided missile. Instead, it is a system that addresses some operational purposes of these warfare tools while also responding to the disadvantages inherent in their nature, thus complementing their usage.
The drawbacks of sea mines, such as immobility, limited area control, and weak target discrimination, are addressed by ULAQ KAMA’s capability to be employed across the entirety of the operational area and its advanced target discrimination capabilities.
The vulnerabilities of submarines, including operational limitations related to time-distance factors and endurance concerns, which can be exploited by adversaries, can be mitigated by the impact of ULAQ KAMA’s presence. Adversaries will not be able to focus solely on anti-submarine warfare while ULAQ presents an imminent surface threat. ULAQ KAMA can also complement the use of submarines in the context of Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2AD) by controlling access to certain areas.
The sensitivity of fast patrol boats to detection and counterattacks, vulnerabilities to air threats, and the negative impact of their loss on relative force comparison and the risk of casualties are largely diminished by ULAQ KAMA, similar to other members of the ULAQ family.
Anti-Ship Missiles (ASMs) with their high costs, limited inventory, warships’ advanced defense measures against them, and limitations in their effectiveness against targets near coastlines, ports, or bays have been major considerations in their employment. ULAQ KAMA offers solutions to these issues with its reasonable cost, rapid mass production capability, asymmetrical nature against defense systems, and the ability to engage targets in areas like harbors, bays, or gulfs where ASM missiles might be less effective.
ULAQ KAMA’s operational range exceeding 200 nautical miles, its ability to search for and locate specified targets within the operational area, its capability to adapt the best attack strategy against a target’s defensive capabilities and tactics, the challenge of its detection by existing sensor systems and visual means, and the challenge of applying defensive measures against it due to its speed surpassing 50 knots, collectively set it apart with superior attributes.
The resilience of ULAQ KAMA against adversary defensive fire is derived from its design excellence and detail-focused engineering. Its compact size and exceptional maneuverability render it a formidable target. Upon delving into its specifications, one can uncover additional features that bolster its survivability. The onboard explosive payload remains inert, impervious to detonation upon impact by bullets. Critical components benefit from supplementary ballistic covers, augmenting their protection. Robust bilge pumps ensure the vessel’s buoyancy and stability, even in the presence of hull damage.
The naval warfare paradigms that USV’s have begun to shake are dealt another blow with the introduction of ULAQ KAMA. An illustration of this can be observed in the instances of Ukraine effectively deploying kamikaze USVs in the Black Sea:
- Attack on the Admiral Makarov Frigate and mine-laying ship on October 29, 2022.
- Attack on the intelligence ship Ivan Khurs near the Istanbul Strait on May 24, 2023.
- Attempted attack on the Russian intelligence ship Priazovye on June 11, 2023.
- Attack on the Kerch Bridge on July 19, 2023.
- Attacks on the Russian Landing Ship Tank (LST) Olenogorsky Gornyak and the oil tanker SIG on August 4, 2023, in the port of Sevastopol.
These examples above clearly demonstrate the resurgence of an antiquated concept, which has now evolved into an asymmetrical strategy and achieved a noteworthy level of technological maturity. The “asymmetrical” nature of this weapon finds its definition in the words of an Ukranian soldier: “It would take Russia 10 years or more to develop countermeasures against such weapons, as they are attempting to counter a 21st-century weapon with 20th-century equipment; we are a century ahead of them.”
Traditional defensive measures, such as aerial and naval patrols in the vicinity of naval bases, the implementation of continuous defensive protocols, the positioning of buoys and net-like barriers at port entrances and around ships, and the utilization of all available surveillance measures, as well as maintaining a state of heightened readiness on ships underway, will not suffice against a weapon like ULAQ KAMA. Even these conventional measures come with their associated costs. Moreover, in a prolonged conflict, the potential imposition of stress and demands on the personnel involved cannot be disregarded. This aspect alone underscores a significant asymmetrical effect imposed by a weapon like ULAQ KAMA. The proliferation of unmanned military applications necessitates the simultaneous development of cost-effective countermeasures.
While acknowledging the challenge of keeping up with the rapid pace of technological advancement within defense paradigms, it’s evident that this is a necessity. Those who can swiftly integrate the capabilities offered by technological progress into military operations will gain an advantage over adversaries or potential adversaries. Military professionals, well aware of the truth of this proposition demonstrated throughout history, will incorporate the potential ULAQ KAMA offers into their operational concepts and doctrines. Moreover, considering the inevitability of the proliferation of such weapon systems, they will strive to acquire defense capabilities that render these weapons’ “asymmetrical” features more symmetrical, thus ensuring that they align with the principles of their strategies.
The combined expertise of METEKSAN Defense Inc. and ARES Shipyard Inc., along with design excellence, cost-effectiveness, and the promised potential, positions ULAQ KAMA advantageously within the assessments of naval professionals who are striving to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advancement.
