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Turkish defense firm STM said it plans to launch the prototype of Türkiye's first National Fast Attack Craft by the end of this year or early next year, as the company showcased its naval projects at the Teknofest Blue Homeland event.
STM General Manager Ozgur Guleryuz said design work on the fast attack craft has been completed and prototype production is now underway.
Guleryuz told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Türkiye's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) launched the National Fast Attack Craft Project's design phase, with STM completing the design ahead of moving into prototype production.
"By the end of this year or early next year, we will also launch our prototype into the water," Guleryuz said.
He said outfitting work would be completed quickly after the launch, while discussions with the Presidency of Defense Industries continue regarding production of the remaining vessels in the class.
Guleryuz said STM's first domestically built frigate, the TCG Istanbul, was on display at Teknofest Blue Homeland, and that the Istif-Class Frigate project is continuing.
"Production of seven more Istif-Class frigates for the Navy is continuing very intensively in Türkiye. We are carrying out the vessels' activities in a nearly parallel manner. Outfitting activities are also continuing very intensively. Allah willing, we will complete the activities and tests as soon as possible and deliver them to our Navy. We can say that everything is progressing according to schedule and in a healthy manner," Guleryuz said.
Guleryuz said unmanned systems remain one of the defense industry's most important priorities, and that STM aims to extend the experience it gained from its Kargu tactical drone into different operational environments.
He said the company is working to combine its capabilities across air, land and sea domains.
"As STM, we are one of our country's leading firms in military maritime affairs, but especially with our story that began with Kargu in tactical drones, STM has very serious competence. We have long said that we developed these products separately and want to combine our capabilities across different fields.
STM is working very intensively, particularly on unmanned underwater systems. We have development work underway related to airborne platforms. At the same time, we are working to bring different capabilities to our platforms. There is very serious motivation at STM regarding unmanned underwater systems," Guleryuz said.
Guleryuz said STM has reached an important stage in the development of Neta, its national unmanned autonomous underwater vehicle, and that the company is working on new systems to meet different mission requirements in this area.
He signaled that the product family beginning with Neta would be expanded.
"Neta's testing is nearly fully complete. It has now reached the mass production stage. At the same time, we are working to bring different capabilities to our platforms. We will continue expanding our underwater activities beyond the story that began with Neta, into mine hunting and search and rescue operations. From now on, I can say you will hear much more frequently about STM's work on unmanned underwater systems in different missions," Guleryuz said.
Guleryuz said STM has taken on significant export projects in military naval platforms in recent years and that the company's activities abroad are continuing intensively.
He pointed to the LMS Batch-2 Project for the Royal Malaysian Navy, led by STM, citing the launch of three corvettes at short intervals as an example.
"Our export activities are currently progressing very intensively. In fact, over the past four months, we launched Malaysia's three corvettes one after another, in what could be considered record time," Guleryuz said.
Guleryuz said the first vessel in the Ukraine project has been completed, with delivery of the second scheduled for 2027. He said work is continuing on the Replenishment and Logistics Support Ship Project for the Portuguese Navy, one of STM's major export projects in Europe, and that a keel-laying ceremony for the second vessel is planned soon.
Guleryuz added that STM is also working intensively on business development in many countries, drawing on its engineering strength to adapt existing platforms and develop solutions tailored to different needs, and added that the company hopes to share good news on exports in the near future.
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