The Turkish defense industry has now focused on the sea, preparing new unmanned underwater platforms. Özgür Güleryüz, Director General of STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik, said that his country seriously aims to become a strong player on the international stage with its unmanned submarine program.
Turkish engineers are reportedly continuing their work on unmanned marine vehicles day and night.
Özgür Güleryüz, emphasized that they will initially start with the small-sized STM500 manned submarine. Referring to the roadmap for submarine manufacturing technologies, he emphasized that the modernization of Preveze-class submarines is underway, noting that the construction of Reis-class submarines continues.
Stating that plans for the STM500 submarine are continuing, the Turkish official said:
"We are about to complete the detailed design, but we have started trial production activities of the vessel in June 2022. Our work continues intensively. We are moving as hard and successfully as we can to bring the STM500 submarine to life.
We continue our contacts with many countries who see our activities in Pakistan. Everyone sees this as a reference. We believe that we can work with many countries that have similar platforms and need mid-life modernization in the field of submarine modernization.
With the STM500 we will create the possibility of selling the submarine designed by our country's engineers, including domestic-national systems as much as possible, both to the Turkish Navy and to friendly and brotherly countries. We think we know enough."
Construction of Turkish unmanned submarine on the horizon
Özgür Güleryüz said that Turkey aims to become a strong player on the international stage with the work they are doing in the field of submarines.
Stressing that the submarine is a very complex system in terms of engineering, and high technology, he said: "We want to take a serious role in both modernization activities and design and construction activities by making the most of this capability and unmanned underwater platforms. Unmanned submarines are also on the agenda, very effective and efficient. Platforms where successful results can be achieved. Our studies and activities continue intensively in these matters as well".
The Turkish defense industry, after the sector of unmanned vehicles in the air and on the surface of the sea, is now feverishly preparing to deal with underwater unmanned platforms. The aim will be the creation of a fleet of unmanned submarines, which will sail in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, with the aim of consolidating the illegal "Blue Homeland", which the Turkish armed forces pledge to as their main doctrine.
It is estimated that the beginning was made with the Greek-made unmanned aerial vehicles ARCHYTAS and GRYPAS, now we expect to do the same with unmanned platforms on the surface of the sea and under it as soon as possible.
