ULAQ is the prototype of the first Turkish armed unmanned surface vessel (AUSV).
Background ULAQ, a derivation of for government official envoy, is the first of a series of AUSVs of Turkey, which was developed for the Turkish Navy by Ares Shipyard and Meteksan Defense Systems. The design studies completed by August 2020, and the prototype was launched on 12 February 2021 in Antalya. It was planned that firing tests with guided missiles of Roketsan would be carried out by March 2021. On 25 May 2021, the vessel successfully completed its first firing test. The Roketsan Cirit missile fired from the vessel destroyed the target with pinpoint accuracy.
Characteristics The vessel can be deployed from combat ships. She can be controlled remotely from mobile vehicles, headquarters, command centers and floating platforms. It serves in missions such as reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence, surface warfare, asymmetric warfare, armed escort and force protection, and strategic facility security. It is planned that the vessel will operate jointly with other AUSVs, armed UAVs and aircraft, and instantly transmit images and other data she obtains to provide major benefits to the operational capability of the Turkish Armed Forces.
The ULAQ AUSV will come in 6 different variants each with its own type of mission and armament
Made of advanced composite material, the boat is long and has a payload capacity of . She has a range of and a cruise speed of . She is operable at rough sea (sea state 5: wave height). She has indigenous encrypted communications and day/night vision capabilities. She is resistant to electronic warfare and is equipped with an Anti-GPS jammer device.
Armament
The ULAQ family has a modular design that allows different weapon, equipment and deployment configurations according to mission requirements.
Name Mission Armament / Equipment / Deployment ULAQ Surface Combat / ASuW Anti-surface warfare 4× L-UMTAS or 2× L-UMTAS + 2× CIRIT missiles ULAQ Anti-ship Anti-ship warfare 4× ATMACA anti-ship missiles ULAQ-11 Series Port security, Anti-surface warfare, Anti-drone warfare, C2, MUM-T Modular remote weapon systems (typically 12.7 mm machine gun) ULAQ ISR & EW Intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare Unarmed ULAQ-12 Series Anti-surface warfare (ASuW), Anti-submarine warfare (ASW), Anti-drone warfare 2× ORKA lightweight torpedoes + 12 sonobuoys ULAQ-15 Series Mine countermeasures (MCM), Anti-submarine warfare (ASW), Long-range anti-surface warfare (ASuW) Modular weapon systems (specific configuration not publicly detailed) ULAQ-14 Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), Search and rescue (SAR), Maritime security (MS) Unarmed / Light armament options ULAQ-6 KAMA Expendable high-speed strike / swarm Warhead up to 200 kg explosives ULAQ FiFi Firefighting Firefighting monitors and equipment ULAQ MCMV Mine countermeasures Mine detection and disposal systems ULAQ bears similarities to the Fleet-class common USV of Textron Systems, USA and the Protector USV of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israel.
Operators
Turkish Navy
Qatari Emiri Navy
See also Aselsan Tufan Sancar SİDA TCB Marlin SİDA Aselsan Albatros-S Aselsan Albatros-K MKE Pirana USV STM YAKTU USV Dearsan Salvo AUSV Havelsan USV-12 Havelsan ÇAKA S-KUSV
References