In my op-ed for Daily Sabah, “Digital Autonomy or Dependency,” I argued that in today’s technopolar world, sovereignty is not only territorial but algorithmic. Nations that fail to control the code behind their defense systems risk outsourcing their independence. Türkiye has drawn the right lesson from this reality. Guided by its Blue Homeland ("Mavi Vatan") doctrine, Ankara has built a defense strategy centered on indigenous innovation. From drones in the air to missiles at sea, Türkiye’s aim is clear: no platform, sensor or algorithm that protects the homeland should be controlled by foreign hands.
Two new milestones capture this vision: Aselsan and TÜBITAK SAGE’s GÖKSUR naval air-defense missile and the ULAQ unmanned surface vessel (USV) family developed by Ares Shipyard and Meteksan Defense. These systems are not isolated achievements; they form the backbone of a new, autonomous maritime defense architecture. Together, they extend the logic of digital sovereignty offshore, where Türkiye’s maritime rights and security increasingly depend on self-reliant technology.
For modern navies, low-flying cruise missiles are the most lethal adversary. From the Exocet that sank HMS Sheffield in 1982 to Ukraine’s Neptune strike on Russia’s Moskva in 2022, sea-skimmers have shown how seconds can decide survival. Türkiye’s answer is the GÖKSUR point-defense system, which is a fully domestic shield for warships.
In October 2025, a live-fire test off Sinop marked a first in Turkish naval history. A GÖKSUR-IIR missile launched vertically from the new GÖKSUR 100-N system detected and destroyed a high-speed, sea-skimming target at more than 11 kilometers (6.84 miles). Using Aselsan’s GÜDÜ data link for mid-course guidance, the missile’s imaging-infrared seeker autonomously homed in for a direct hit. It was the first time a nationally developed missile intercepted such a threat, which is proof that Türkiye can defend its ships with technology designed, coded and manufactured at home.
GÖKSUR’s modular design will equip surface combatants and patrol craft, defending against cruise missiles, drones and aircraft. Beyond its technical triumph, it strengthens deterrence: each Turkish vessel fitted with the system becomes a self-contained fortress, free of export restrictions or external dependencies. As I wrote in my op-ed for Daily Sabah, “Aselsan’s Steel Dome Integratio,n” Türkiye’s defense modernization is evolving into an integrated “system of systems.” GÖKSUR now adds a maritime layer to that network, extending the air-defense logic of the Steel Dome from the skies to the seas.
If GÖKSUR guards from above, ULAQ patrols from the surface; ULAQ is an autonomous sentinel turning the Blue Homeland into a living grid of sensors and deterrence. Introduced in 2020, ULAQ is an 11-meter armed USV with a 400-kilometer range, capable of both remote and semi-autonomous operation. Its baseline version carries Roketsan’s Cirit and L-UMTAS missiles; newer variants mount 12.7 mm remote weapon stations, torpedoes or electronic-warfare payloads. Each unit can be tailored for escort, reconnaissance, mine-hunting or base protection, giving the navy a flexible fleet.
Türkiye is also leading in swarm autonomy. In 2023, eight Aselsan Albatros-S vessels conducted the world’s first coordinated kamikaze-USV attack during a live trial, sinking a target ship with TB2 drone support. Lessons from Albatros now feed into ULAQ’s next generation, where unmanned boats will share data and divide missions through AI-driven coordination. This is the maritime parallel of the drone revolution that transformed warfare over Karabakh and Ukraine, but with Turkish code commanding the seas.
Internationally, ULAQ is already strengthening Türkiye’s partnerships. In 2024, Qatar became the first foreign operator, purchasing the ULAQ 11 Port Security model for its coast guard. The platform, equipped with encrypted communications and autonomous navigation, will patrol Qatari waters and critical energy infrastructure. Similar cooperation is expanding with Azerbaijan and Libya, where Turkish shipyards are transferring know-how for indigenous maritime security. These exports demonstrate not hegemony but shared capability; Ankara is helping friendly nations build their own algorithmic autonomy, just as Bayraktar TB2s once empowered allied air forces.
Both GÖKSUR and ULAQ embody the same principle: Türkiye’s security must rest on domestic algorithms, resilient supply chains, and regional partnerships founded on trust rather than dependency.
Together, GÖKSUR and ULAQ represent a coherent national strategy of algorithmic defense; integrating artificial intelligence, encrypted communication, and indigenous engineering into one deterrent ecosystem. A future Turkish task force may see ULAQ vessels scouting ahead, identifying hostile missiles and transmitting targeting data directly to a frigate’s GÖKSUR launchers. Such synergy will compress decision-making from minutes to milliseconds, giving commanders information dominance and keeping control firmly in Turkish hands.
This is not just military modernization; it is statecraft through technology. As I noted in “Silicon Valley’s Silent Patriotism,” the world’s major powers are blending defense and digital innovation to secure their futures. Türkiye is doing the same but on its own terms. Every line of code written by Turkish engineers and every missile launched from a Turkish ship reinforces the country’s strategic autonomy.
The recent GÖKSUR test and the operationalization of ULAQ prove that the Blue Homeland is now protected by a national triad of iron, silicon and algorithms. These achievements are the natural outcome of two decades of investment in indigenous defense industries, guided by a clear doctrine of self-reliance. They also offer a model for Türkiye’s allies: that technological independence and collective security can advance together.
In the years ahead, Türkiye’s algorithmic fleet will continue to expand, fusing unmanned systems, AI-driven sensors and precision interceptors into a seamless maritime shield. Each successful launch, export or exercise will further reduce dependency and increase deterrence. The message is unmistakable: the defense of the Blue Homeland no longer depends on borrowed technology.
As President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “The future belongs to those who design it.” Türkiye is designing its own future; one in which its coasts, trade routes and allies are secured by indigenous innovation. The GÖKSUR missile and the ULAQ drone boat are not just weapons; they are expressions of a nation’s will to safeguard its sovereignty in the technopolar world.
