Sefine-ASELSAN consortium's Marlin USV has received its fixed launcher for TÜBİTAK SAGE's KUZGUN-KY surface-to-surface missiles.
The fixed launcher can hold eight KUZGUN-KY missiles with a range of 50 km, depending on trajectory and supersonic speed. KUZGUN-KY's first firing test from Marlin USV was done with a single testbed launcher for experimental purposes.
The missile will be among the main ASuW weapons of the USV with its small size, high speed, and beyond-line-of-sight range. KUZGUN-KY or GÖKSUR-150N (as designated by ASELSAN) is a rocket-powered derivative of the KUZGUN joint modular munition family. The missile was revealed in IDEF'21 after the gliding KUZGUN-SS and turbojet-powered KUZGUN-TJ variants.
Mainly intended for naval and ground platforms, TÜBİTAK SAGE plans for the air launch of KUZGUN-KY from UCAVs as well. Air-launched KUZGUN-KY can reach even longer ranges due to initial speed/altitude advantages. Like other members of the KUZGUN family, the missile has options for different seekers (SAL, IIR, mmW radar) and a 10 kg warhead (Fragmentation, shaped charge, thermobaric).
The missile also has backup guidance methods such as GPS, INS, and home-on-jam (HOJ). Marlin USV has also been fitted with the AREAS-2NC electronic attack/support system and performed in NATO's Dynamic Messenger exercise. Following AREAS-2NC and KUZGUN-KY, the USV is planned to be fitted with lightweight torpedoes and towed sonar for ASW missions.
