“We Want to Lead the Unmanned Revolution Beneath the Waves,” Says STM’s Özgür Güleryüz

Turkish defence company STM, a name to reckon when it comes to naval platforms, unmanned systems and cybersecurity, is keen on leading the unmanned revolution beneath the waves, says Özgür Güleryüz, company General Manager.

“We are building an ecosystem where our proven expertise in naval platforms merges with our pioneering role in autonomy,” . Güleryüz says in an interview. “Having established a strong presence in the UAV market, we are now expanding our family of Unmanned Naval Systems, covering both Surface (USV) and Underwater (UUV) domains. This is a highly niche and strategic field; by combining our deep-rooted submarine experience with advanced robotics, we aim to lead the "unmanned revolution" beneath the waves. Our vision is to create a multi-layered, autonomous defence line that ensures security from the deep sea to the skies.”

Please provide an update on the MiLGEM programme.

As STM, we are proud to be Türkiye’s leading engineering firm in naval platforms, having played a pioneering role in the execution of 44 naval projects across 11 different shipyards both domestically and internationally. Our journey in military shipbuilding began with the MİLGEM Ada-Class Corvette Program, where STM, as the main sub-contractor, successfully delivered four Ada-class corvettes to the Turkish Naval Forces.

This foundational experience paved the way for our role as the main contractor for the TCG İSTANBUL (F-515), Türkiye’s first national frigate. We completed the detail design and construction of this landmark vessel with a remarkable 80% localization rate, officially delivering it to our navy in early 2024.

Following the landmark decision by the Defence Industry Executive Committee (SSİK), we entered a strategic partnership under the STM-TAİS Joint Venture to construct seven additional İstif-class frigates, sister ships to the TCG İSTANBUL. The construction phase for the 6th, 7th, and 8th vessels began simultaneously across three different private shipyards between 2023 and 2024. As of 2026, all three ships have been successfully launched. Currently, these frigates are at the piers undergoing intensive outfitting activities.

Furthermore, the momentum of the MİLGEM program continues without pause for the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th vessels. The construction of these frigates is proceeding at a high pace, and we anticipate that they will reach the launching stage within the next year.

Can you talk about STM’s plans to develop medium and large-class unmanned autonomous underwater vehicles?

The STM Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) family is a product of a strategic vision realized entirely through STM’s own R&D budget and internal resources. We introduced the first member of this family, STM NETA, for the first time at SAHA EXPO 2024 and brought it to an operational level in a very short time. As of 2025, our platform began its initial sea trials, where it successfully proved its ability to perform underwater missions autonomously. A major milestone in this journey is the signing of the first domestic sales contract for NETA; it will soon begin serving the Turkish Naval Forces.

Building on the success of NETA, we are utilizing this technological expertise to expand our product family with medium and large-class platforms. We are shaping our autonomous underwater vehicles not only for reconnaissance and surveillance but also as "scout" or "kamikaze" versions capable of meeting diverse operational needs.

At SAHA EXPO 2026, we are proud to showcase our X-Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for the first time on the world stage. Our ultimate vision is for these underwater assets to operate in full integration with our aerial and surface platforms, performing coordinated missions within a heterogeneous swarm architecture to create a technological force-multiplier on the battlefield.

How far down the development path is the STM500 Shallow Water Submarine? What are your thoughts on its export potential?

STM is Türkiye’s leading private authority in submarine design and modernization. Beyond leading the modernization of 10 "Type 209" submarines for the Turkish Navy, we are the only company globally to have modernized submarines of different origins, as demonstrated by our success with Pakistan’s Agosta 90B. Our critical role in the Reis-Class (Type-214) construction further solidified our expertise in this strategic domain.

This know-how culminated in the STM500, Türkiye’s first national submarine for special operations and attack missions. By successfully completing the pressure hull test production, we marked the first time a combat submarine's pressure blocks were manufactured in the Turkish civilian industry. Optimized for shallow waters, the STM500 provides a strategic edge in littoral zones through its advanced sensors and special forces infrastructure.

We see immense export potential for the STM500, particularly in regions with complex coastal geographies like Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South America. It offers a sophisticated yet cost-effective solution for navies that require modern submarine capabilities but do not need large-tonnage oceanic vessels.

What is the latest on the company’s ongoing projects for Malaysia, Portugal, and Pakistan?

Our long-standing partnership with Pakistan spans over 15 years, highlighted by the delivery of the Fleet Tanker PNS MOAWIN in 2018, which continues to serve as a flagship in international waters and across the oceans. In the submarine domain, we have successfully delivered two modernized Agosta 90B submarines to the Pakistan Navy. The effectiveness of our modernization services has been field-proven through successful torpedo firings during international exercises, while work on the final submarine continues at a steady pace.

We have initiated the construction of three corvettes in Türkiye under the LMS Batch-II project for Malaysia in 2025. This project is of historical significance as it marks Türkiye’s first corvette export to the Asia-Pacific region. These vessels are being built in Turkish shipyards and are scheduled for launch within 2026.

Our projects in Europe and beyond continue to gain momentum. For Ukraine, the construction of two corvettes under our 2020 contract is progressing successfully in Türkiye. For Portugal, we are executing a landmark project involving the construction of two modern logistics support ships tailored to their specific requirements. It represents the first military ship export from Türkiye to a dual EU and NATO member state; we have already laid the blocks on the slipway and construction is proceeding smoothly.

How successful has STM been in promoting its tactical mini-UAV systems to an international audience?

STM has become a global trendsetter in the tactical mini-UAV market, particularly with our KARGU (loitering munition), TOGAN (surveillance), and BOYGA (fixed-wing) systems. The KARGU, in particular, has seen extensive combat verification and has achieved remarkable international success, being exported to 15 countries across 4 continents.

We are continuously expanding our tactical UAV family with the recent introduction of platforms like KarguFPV, TUNGA, VTOL, and BOYGA-B, aiming to scale this product line from tactical excellence to strategic-level impact.

Beyond being a platform manufacturer, STM is one of the leading firms in autonomous technologies, focusing on the "intelligence" that powers these systems. We integrate advanced capabilities such as AI-driven computer vision, swarm intelligence, and GNSS-denied flight capabilities into our products. This allows our unmanned systems to operate effectively in electronic warfare environments and GPS-contested areas, ensuring mission success where traditional systems fail.

What are your short-term and long-term goals for STM?

In the short term, our primary goal is to solidify STM’s position as a global brand in naval engineering and tactical unmanned systems.

As we continue to provide both platform-level and strategic-level solutions in command and control, we are increasingly focusing on platform cyber security, specifically designed to protect the critical combat systems of modern naval and aerial assets.

To maintain our technological edge, we are committed to sustained investment in "deep-tech" frontiers. While we are continuously refining our AI and swarm intelligence capabilities, we are also closely monitoring emerging fields such as quantum technologies for future integration.

Our ultimate goal is to be a global leader that generates strategic value through naval engineering, technology, and advanced engineering solutions, redefining the future of the defense industry.