Turkiye’s first armed unmanned surface vessel (AUSV) of the ULAQ project will be powered by a diesel engine developed within the country. Halim Tosun, General Manager of TÜMOSAN Engine and Tractor Industry Inc., told Anadolu Agency on Monday.
The company produces engines for armoured projects developed under the Defence Industry Agency (SSB). Not only for the navy, but TÜMOSAN also manufactures and integrates domestic engines in tactical wheeled armoured vehicles for the Turkish Air Force Command, but Tosun also explained. TÜMOSAN collaborates with Ares Shipyard, which developed the ULAQ project, and Ankara-based Meteksan Defence Industry Inc.
“There is a special need in all elements of the Turkish Armed Forces, from 50 horsepower to 4,000 horsepower engines. TÜMOSAN plays an active role in meeting these needs with domestic and national subsystems, especially at engine power of 550 horsepower and below,” he said, as quoted by the Daily Sabah.
The AUSV, ULAQ, was initially launched at sea last January and began its trials. In May, it was announced that the AUSV was ready to launch the missile.
The AUSV results from three years of research and development by a Turkish defence industry company.
The unmanned vessel has a cruising range of 400 km (249 miles), a speed of 65 kph (40.3 mph), day and night vision capabilities, and a national encrypted communications infrastructure.
This autonomous ship can be controlled remotely, either from a vehicle on the ground, from the command headquarters, or from a floating platform.
The function of these ships is to perform tasks such as reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence, surface warfare, asymmetric warfare, armed escort, and force protection, along with the security of strategic facilities.
The AUSV is equipped with a pod to carry four laser-guided Cirit missiles and two laser-guided long-range anti-tank missiles (L-UMTAS) launchers.
Both weapons were developed by Turkey’s leading defence company, Roketsan.
