Antalya-based ARES Shipyard and Ankara-based Meteksan Defense, operating with national capital in the defense industry, successfully completed firing tests by integrating a 12.7 mm remote-controlled weapon system into Turkey's first Armed Unmanned Marine Vehicle, the ULAQ platform.
ULAQ, which successfully destroyed the target by firing a missile for the first time in the world from an Unmanned Sea Vehicle in 2021, will be the fearless guard of bases and ports with its new remote-controlled weapon system.
In the joint press release, ARES Shipyard General Manager Utku Alanç and Meteksan Defense General Manager Selçuk Kerem Alparslan said:
We would like to express with great pride and happiness that we have successfully completed all tests, including the firing tests with the 12.7mm weapon system of Turkey's first armed unmanned sea vehicle, ULAQ-SİDA, and that we are ready to take charge. We are aware of how important the ULAQ Unmanned Naval Vehicle is in the defense of our country's blue homeland, the protection of our maritime continental shelf and exclusive economic zones. In this direction, we continue our intensive activities to integrate new systems to ULAQ within the scope of different needs.”
ULAQ SİDA, which has a cruising range of more than 400 kilometers, a speed of over 70 kilometers per hour, day/night vision capabilities, autonomous navigation algorithms, encrypted and electronic warfare protected communication infrastructure and produced from advanced composite materials; It can be used by land mobile vehicles, headquarters command center or floating platforms in the execution of missions such as Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Intelligence, Surface Warfare (SUH), Asymmetric Warfare, Armed Escort and Force Protection, Strategic Facility Security. Unlike its version completed in 2021, Turkey's First and Only Armed Unmanned Naval Vehicle ULAQ is equipped with a 12.7mm remote-controlled weapon system for critical base/facility and port defense purposes in addition to reconnaissance and patrol missions.
Following the new version of the project initiated by ARES Shipyard and Meteksan Defense in the field of unmanned sea vehicles, the production of ULAQ unmanned sea vehicles for intelligence gathering, mine hunting, anti-submarine warfare, fire fighting and humanitarian aid/evacuation will continue.
ULAQ SİDA is preparing to be exported to Europe
In an interview with Naval News' Ares Shipyard Deputy General Manager, it was stated that the company is in advanced export talks with two European customers.
In the "Base/Port Defense Boat" variant of the ULAQ S/IDA (Armed/Unmanned Marine Vehicle):
- The missile launcher was replaced with a 12,7 mm stabilized remote weapon system (UKSS) called KORALP, built by Best Grup. In this way, it became the first naval platform of ULAQ Best Group to be equipped with 12,7 mm RCWS.
- The currently used electro-optical (EO) sensors were replaced with Aselsan's DENİZGÖZU EO system, increasing the locality of ULAQ.
Source: defenceturk
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