On December 11, Ismail Demir, president of SSB, the Turkish Defense Agency, posted a tweet to unveil the new unmanned surface vessel called “Ulaq”. A video released by the agency in this tweet shows the ship’s upgraded features, including a new configuration for anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
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Ulaq Autonomous Unmanned Surface Vehicle is intended for the protection of sea borders, naval bases, ports and critical facilities (Picture source: SSB)
“We provide ULAQ SİDA with new capabilities, make it fully autonomous, and develop it in a way to perform anti-submarine warfare. Our target is 90% locality with a domestic engine, 12.7 mm RCWS, torpedo, L-UMTAS missile, command and control software, communication system, camera and sonar system! The ULAQ also has a new locally-made propulsion system to increase the vehicle’s speed, particularly in littoral waters“, Ismail Demir tweeted.
In a joint press release on January 24, 2022, Utku Alanç, General Manager of ARES Shipyard, and Selçuk Kerem Alparslan, President of Meteksan Defense, stated: 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 armed unmanned surface vehicle, Ulaq-AUSV. We are aware of how important the Ulaq Unmanned Surface Vehicle is in the protection of sea borders, naval bases, ports and critical facilities. In this context, we continue our intensive activities to integrate new systems to Ulaq within the scope of different requirements.”
Having a cruising range of over 400 kilometers, over 70 km/h, day/night vision possibility, autonomy, crypto and electronic warfare protected communication infrastructure, manufactured from advanced composite material; Ulaq AUSV will be able to be benefited in executing tasks such as Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Intelligence, Surface Warfare, Asymmetric Warfare, Armed Escort and Force Protection, Strategic Facility Security. Unlike its version completed in 2021, Turkey's first armed unmanned surface 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, which is the first phase of the project initiated by ARES Shipyard and Meteksan Defence in the field of unmanned surface vessels and firing tests of which was successfully completed, the production of ULAQ unmanned surface vehicles for surveillance and intelligence, mine counter measures, anti-submarine warfare, firefighting, search and rescue missions will also be carried on. It also has enhanced vision and navigation, thanks to a LIDAR (light detection and ranging) wide-angle navigation camera, radar, and electro-optical system.
The autonomous 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 11 m (36 ft) long and has a payload capacity of 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). She has a range of 216 nmi (400 km; 249 mi) and a cruise speed of 35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph). She is operable at rough sea (sea state 5: 2.5–4 m (8.2–13.1 ft) 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
ULAQ Surface Combat: 4x L-UMTAS missiles or 2x L-UMTAS & 2x CIRIT missile.
ULAQ anti-ship: 4x ATMACA anti-ship missiles
ULAQ ISR & EW (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance / Electronical Warfare): Unarmed
ULAQ ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare): 2x ORKA Lightweight torpedo + 12 sonobuoy
ULAQ FiFi (Firefighting vehicle)
ULAQ MCMV (Mine Counter-Measures Vessel)
ULAQ bears similarities to the Fleet-class common USV of Textron Systems and the Protector USV of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
