The booming Turkish defense industry is taking its success to the sea as it boosts its export performance in the field of unmanned surface vessels (USVs), also known as drone boats or naval drones, according to a report on Monday.
Having achieved global success in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Turkish defense industry is now making a name for itself in the maritime domain, becoming one of the notable players in the USV sector.
By manufacturing these platforms for the inventory of security forces, the Turkish defense sector has also reached a position to export these systems, thanks to their advanced autonomy software and extensive payload capabilities.
Ares Shipyard and ULAQ Global carried out Türkiye's first export of an armed unmanned surface vessel (AUSV) to meet the needs of the Qatari Coast Guard.
The operational deployment of the ULAQ AUSV, known for its strong autonomous capabilities, by the end user has elevated its technological maturity to a high level. Positive feedback received from the field has drawn the attention of potential users in various regions. This development played a decisive role in accelerating ULAQ-specific business development activities.
In light of all these developments, Ares Shipyard and ULAQ Global, within the framework of permission from the Ministry of National Defense, are conducting business development activities with numerous friendly and allied countries both domestically and internationally.
While the main priority remains to meet the needs of the Turkish Naval Forces Command and the Coast Guard Command, discussions continue with various Gulf countries about ULAQ USVs with different capabilities.
Business development efforts are not limited to the Gulf region but also extend to exploring different business models with countries in the Far East. New export contracts are expected to be publicly announced during 2026, a report by Anadolu Agency (AA) said.
Platform exports continue along with payloads, subsystems
Moreover, the Turkish defense industry is diversifying its export successes in USVs this year through new contracts.
Onur High Technology (OYT) received a $1.4 million order from a domestically based client for an Integrated Audio and Data Communication System for USVs intended for delivery abroad. This order represents a continuation and expansion of a previously successful project with the same client.
Another significant development in this area involves defense and electronics giant Aselsan.
Ankara-based Aselsan signed export contracts totaling $171 million for the direct sale of communication systems and payloads for unmanned surface vessels with customers in the Asia-Pacific region, it said on Monday.
This new export success by the firm in the Asia-Pacific market is important for strengthening the influence of the Turkish defense industry in the region.
The most striking part of the contract is the export of payloads for unmanned surface vessels. Through experience gained from projects like MARLIN, SANCAR and ULAQ, Türkiye is opening up not just with platforms, but also with critical subsystems and payloads that constitute the "brains" and "operational power" of these vehicles.
A major portion of the economic and strategic value of a USV lies in its onboard sensors, communication and weapon systems. Türkiye's ability to export these payloads directly to the Asia-Pacific region proves that these systems are globally competitive.
Onur High Technology’s $1.4 million order also demonstrates the healthy functioning of the "main contractor-subcontractor" relationship within the sector. With these types of orders from domestic customers, local subsystem manufacturers are being introduced to the global stage as shipyards export USVs abroad.
The Integrated Audio and Data Communication System to be procured is critically important for the command-and-control of unmanned vehicles over long distances.