The Through the Wall Radar (DAR) developed by STM Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc. – a prominent engineering company in the Turkish defense industry – is playing a crucial role in the ongoing rescue operations following the recent catastrophic earthquakes in Türkiye.
The earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6 that centered in the Kahramanmaraş province, have devastated 10 provinces in the region, as well as severely affecting neighboring Syria.
The Ankara-based company, with domestic facilities, has developed DAR to assist in saving lives amid the rubble in the worst-hit province of Hatay.
DAR uses cutting-edge technology to determine the presence of living beings beneath the debris and to provide search and rescue teams with their exact locations. Thanks to the device, over 20 earthquake victims have already been located and rescued.
STM technician Yusuf Hayırlı told Anadolu Agency (AA) that his team is working in the earthquake zone as per the company's assignment.
He revealed that they utilized the DAR device, designed for defense purposes, outside its regular area for the first time in the earthquake zone and are proud to have contributed to the rescue of over 20 people.
Hayırlı emphasized the significance of defense technology and engineering in disaster zones, explaining that they aid search and rescue teams by providing the location of the victims trapped under the ruins. He said that the device can detect breathing movements, hand and arm movements, and estimate the location of trapped individuals. With this technology, they have been able to determine the exact location of survivors and relay crucial information to rescue teams.
Working in two teams in Hatay, Hayırlı described an emotional moment when they were able to rescue a 7-month-old baby from the rubble, an experience he referred to as "indescribable happiness."
