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STM Defense Technologies unveiled three new autonomous naval and air systems at SAHA 2026.
The Yaktu kamikaze unmanned surface vehicle, the Tengiz extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle, and the Tunga-X drone interceptor present a comprehensive suite of systems designed for asymmetric maritime warfare, submarine-replacing deep operations, and low-cost drone threat neutralization.
Yaktu is a kamikaze unmanned surface vehicle (USV) measuring 5.8 meters in length and displacing 1.7 tons.
It reaches speeds exceeding 50 knots, has a service range of more than 200 nautical miles and operates day and night with line-of-sight and satellite communications. Its AI-driven swarm intelligence allows multiple units to share data in real time and distribute targets autonomously among themselves, approaching from different angles simultaneously.
"Yaktu is not just a high-speed strike vehicle, with its AI-supported autonomous architecture and swarm capability, it will be a strategic force multiplier in naval warfare. Multiple KUSVs operating in a coordinated manner can pressure a target from different angles, offering a cost-effective and high-precision solution to overcome modern defense lines," STM General Manager Ozgur Guleryuz said.
Its low-profile, compact design makes detection difficult. It can be deployed from shore or different platforms and carries a diesel main engine with a waterjet propulsion system.
Tengiz is STM's largest autonomous underwater vehicle to date, an Extra Large Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) measuring 11.2 meters in length, 1.6 meters in diameter and displacing 17.8 tons.
It can operate at depths exceeding 400 meters at speeds above 8 knots and sustain operations for more than 20 days without external support. At 3 knots it can reach 1,600 nautical miles, rivaling an average air-independent propulsion submarine in underwater endurance.
Tengiz is designed as a "mothership" platform, capable of carrying and deploying STM's Neta 300 autonomous underwater vehicles and launching the Alpagut loitering munition system from depth.
For anti-submarine warfare missions, it can carry both lightweight 324 mm and heavyweight 533 mm torpedoes, naval mines and onboard sensors.
It is also compatible with the Akata submarine-launched anti-ship missile.
Integrated with Havelsan's ADVENT Command and Control system for network-centric operations and compatible with 40-foot ISO containers, Tengiz can be deployed autonomously from ports, logistics vessels or well-deck ships such as the TCG Anadolu.
"Tengiz is engineered to execute nearly all critical missions typically performed by conventional submarines, ranging from intelligence and mine warfare to torpedo engagement, all while operating autonomously and eliminating risks to human personnel," Guleryuz stated.
Tunga-X is a multi-rotor interceptor drone developed specifically to neutralize low-cost kamikaze UAV threats, addressing the cost-exchange problem where expensive air defense missiles are used to destroy cheap drones.
The system integrates with UAV detection radars, which identify a threat at approximately 10 kilometers; Tunga-X then accelerates toward the projected approach corridor and uses electro-optic and infrared cameras with AI-based image processing to confirm and track the target before engaging with a proximity-fused warhead.
Tunga-X carries a 750-gram warhead, has a maximum speed of 300 km/h, a range of 25 kilometers, a flight endurance of 15 minutes and can operate at altitudes up to 5,000 meters.
It features GNSS and optical guidance modes, vertical takeoff capability from narrow spaces and mobile platforms, and safe return capability when a mission is aborted.
"Tunga-X enters precisely at this point, with a system reaching approximately 300 km/h, operating in radar integration and destroying the target in the air, we provide the user with both technological and cost-effective superiority against asymmetric threats," Guleryuz said.
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