Türkiye’s STM has conducted underwater reconnaissance operations with the STM NETA 300 autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), developed using national capabilities, around Güvercin Island in the Kaş district of Antalya Province.
According to information provided by STM to Poligonjournal, the STM NETA 300, operating in an area of the Mediterranean known for its rich underwater ecosystem and sunken vessels, scanned the underwater environment using advanced sonar systems and high-resolution imaging capabilities for search-and-rescue operations as well as the detection and identification of submerged objects.
During the autonomous reconnaissance mission, the national underwater vehicle obtained imagery of a sunken tank in the area and successfully completed its mission. With this operation, the STM NETA 300 once again demonstrated its underwater reconnaissance, object detection, and imaging capabilities under real maritime conditions.
STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz stated that UUVs are playing an increasingly important role in future maritime operations. According to him, the concept of maritime security is undergoing significant changes with the development of autonomous systems. By combining its extensive engineering experience in naval technologies with artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies, STM is developing systems that will change the rules of the game in this field.
He emphasized that the autonomous reconnaissance mission conducted by the STM NETA 300 in the Mediterranean, the first member of STM’s unmanned maritime vehicle family and developed in a short period of time, demonstrates the level reached by Türkiye’s national engineering capabilities in underwater technologies.
“Following NETA, we are developing solutions tailored to various operational requirements, from underwater to surface operations, within our product family, which we have expanded with our underwater UUV TENGİZ and our kamikaze-type surface UUV STM YAKTU.
We will continue developing new technologies that will make a difference in future maritime operations with our autonomous maritime systems and will continue strengthening the maritime operational capabilities of friendly and allied countries, primarily the Turkish Naval Forces,” the company’s general manager said.
It should be noted that the tank imaged by the STM NETA 300 was placed underwater off the coast of Güvercin Island in Kaş district in 2017 after completing its service life in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces, with the aim of contributing to diving tourism and creating an artificial reef.
It is recalled that the STM NETA 300 participated in the forward-force operation conducted as part of the TURNAs-2026 exercise held in Antalya in October.
Using advanced sonar systems and high-resolution sensors, the UUV autonomously detected and identified mines and mine-like underwater threats along its route, successfully completing its mission and contributing to the navigation safety of major maritime platforms.
During the exercise, the system also conducted activities within the framework of seabed warfare, including ensuring the security of critical infrastructure, inspecting and scanning pipelines, and detecting threats.
Named after the term “NETA,” which in maritime terminology conveys the meanings of “flawless, safe and always ready,” the STM NETA 300 can be carried by two people thanks to its compact and modular design.
The UUV can operate at depths of up to 300 meters for up to 24 hours and reach a speed of 5 knots. Its advanced sonar systems support the detection, classification and identification of mines and mine-like objects.
Designed for autonomous operation, the national UUV scans mine-threatened maritime areas using a side-scan sonar and a sonar designed for gap filling.
This enables the operator to detect, classify and identify mines and mine-like objects as quickly and effectively as possible.
The vehicle can also be equipped with synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) to achieve a wider scanning area and higher horizontal resolution.
The STM NETA 300 is designed to perform a wide range of missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, mine countermeasures and harbor protection in the military field, as well as seabed surveys, pipeline inspections, monitoring of renewable energy facilities and underwater archaeology in the civilian sector.
The first domestic sales contract has also been signed, and the STM NETA 300 will serve in the Turkish Naval Forces fleet.
