STM Introduces the Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle “STM NETA” for the First Time at SAHA EXPO

STM, Reliable Partner Of The Navies, unveils its Autonomous Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) “STM NETA”, developed with indigenous and national capabilities, for the first time at the SAHA EXPO fair. STM NETA, developed by STM with its own resources, primary mission will be the detection of mines.

STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş., a pioneer in developing national and innovative systems in the Turkish defence sector, has put its name to another game-changing technology that will contribute to the protection of the Blue Homeland. STM publicly showcased its, Autonomous Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) “STM NETA”, for the first time at the SAHA EXPO fair. The project combines the engineering capabilities typically reserved for naval platforms and autonomous unmanned systems. The unveiling of STM NETA, Türkiye's national unmanned underwater vehicle, was attended by STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz, as well as numerous other attendees of the exhibition.

Güleryüz: STM NETA Ready for Both Military and Civilian Missions

STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz, after highlighting the many national surface and underwater naval platforms developed by STM for both the Turkish Navy and for friendly and allied nations, said: “The dynamic developments in the battlefield are leading to the increased use of unmanned aerial and naval platforms. Building on our experience as Türkiye's leading engineering company in naval engineering solutions, we have combined our naval competencies, our capabilities in autonomous tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and our command and control engineering knowledge to develop this national unmanned autonomous underwater vehicle with own resources. The ‘STM NETA 300’ shallow underwater vehicle that we are unveiling today is a first for us, and is the first member of what will become a family of platforms. The first deployment of STM NETA 300 will be for mine detection and destruction missions. STM NETA 300 is equipped to meet both military and civilian needs, boasting a modular and flexible design, a high autonomy level and unique software, allowing it to take part in a broad range of missions, from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, to anti-submarine warfare, explosive disposal, and pipeline and geophysical surveys. After the extensive efforts to develop the STM NETA 300, the first member of its family, we have now moved on to the pool and sea testing phases, with images to be shared very soon.” 

“Export to Friendly and Allied Nations”

Güleryüz went on to inform the participants of STM’s plans to expand its Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Family: “We will also develop medium-sized and larger unmanned underwater vehicles that can operate at deeper depths and on different missions. Thus, we foresee providing solutions to operational needs in line with all the usage concepts required by the Turkish Armed Forces. We believe that the STM NETA family will actively contribute to protecting the depths of the Blue Homeland, offering a strong deterrent effect. At the same time, we will have created a product family with high export potential among friendly and allied nations."

Detecting mines at depths of 300 metres

STM NETA derives its name from a naval expression, meaning smooth, safe, and always ready. Developed by STM engineers using domestic and national resources, the Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle “STM NETA 300” is the first member of its family. Its compact structure, along with its flexible and modular design, allow it to be carried by two people and operate at depths of up to 300 metres. The STM NETA 300 has a maximum speed of 5 knots and can operate for up to 24 hours on a single battery charge. The system operates autonomously when deployed for Mine Countermeasure (MCM) Operations, making use of side-scan and gap-filling sonar technologies to identify mines in suspected high-risk areas. This enables the user to classify and identify mines or mine-like objects as quickly and effectively as possible. The vehicle also integrates synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) to achieve a broader scan area and high horizontal resolution. STM NETA 300 can be deployed with all types of surface platforms and quickly deployed to mission areas, where it can significantly contribute to search and rescue (SAR) operations through wide-area scans. Its side-scan sonar and precision navigation systems provide highly accurate data to support the detection of targets and underwater wrecks. The STM NETA 300 is versatile, offering various robust configuration options, with weights ranging from a basic 70 kg configuration up to 85 kg.

For both Military and Civilian Use

The advanced modular design of STM NETA 300 makes it suitable for a wide range of tasks in both civilian and military applications. In military operations, the STM NETA 300 can be deployed for intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance missions, as well as rapid environmental assessments, anti-submarine warfare, explosive ordnance disposal, and port defence. Taking on civilian roles, the STM NETA 300 is capable of performing tasks such as seabed and environmental assessments, pipeline inspections and observations, geophysical surveys and observations, investigations of offshore renewable energy sources and marine archaeology.

Click For STM NETA Movie and İmages

About STM

For the past 33 years, STM has been serving Türkiye's defense sector in areas such as engineering, technology development, and consultancy services, focusing on fields critical to Turkey and its allies. STM leverages its advanced capabilities and technologies across a broad range of strategic areas, including naval platforms, tactical mini UAV systems, command and control systems, cybersecurity, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence applications.