Press ReleasesSTM Showcases Pioneering Defence Technologies Across Three Countries
STM, one of the leading companies in the Turkish defence sector, will be exhibiting its naval platforms and tactical mini UAV systems in South Africa, Azerbaijan and the Philippines. STM supplies NATO's second largest army, the Turkish Armed Forces, as well as the navies of friendly and allied nations with state-of-the-art warships.
STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş., having played a key role in the significant progress seen in the field of defence in the past couple of years in Türkiye, offers critical solutions in such areas as naval platforms, tactical mini-UAV systems (loitering munitions) and cyber security.
Under the leadership of the Turkish Presidency of Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB), STM continues to meet domestic needs and to export its accumulated experience to friendly and allied nations through cooperation and technology transfer agreements.
Visit from South African President to STM
STM is participating in the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2024, a prominent defense fair held in Pretoria, South Africa, from September 18-22. Hosting numerous high-level delegations, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at its booth, STM provided attendees with information about its naval projects and tactical mini UAV systems.
STM is displaying mock-ups of Türkiye's first national corvette project – the Ada Class MILGEM, Türkiye's first national frigate the İstif (I) Class Frigate, STM-MPAC Multi Purpose Attack Craft, Pakistan Navy Fleet Tanker (PNFT) and is presenting its STM500, a small-sized submarine designed using national resources to the participants.
Among STM’s tactical mini UAV systems, Türkiye’s first national attack UAV, the Combat Proven Rotary Wing Loitering Munition System KARGU, which is exported to more than 10 countries on three different continents; and the ammunition drop UAV BOYGA, which has already joined the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) inventory, are on display at the STM booth. STM is displaying its cutting-edge technologies at booth 3E22, hangar 3 at the AAD-2024.
STM in Azerbaijan with its Advanced Technologies
STM will take its place with naval engineering and tactical mini UAV systems at the Azerbaijan International Defense Exhibition ADEX 2024, which is one of the most important exhibitions in the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
STM will be displaying mock-ups of, Türkiye's first national corvette project – the Ada Class MILGEM, STM-MPAC Multi Purpose Attack Craft, designed to perform surface and air defense warfare missions in severe sea conditions, in the open sea, and in areas close to the shore, Pakistan Navy Fleet Tanker (PNFT) and will be presenting its STM500, a small-sized submarine designed using national resources to the participants. From among STM’s tactical mini-UAV systems, KARGU (loitering munition), Mini UAV BOYGA with Mortar Payload and TOGAN, a national surveillance and reconnaissance UAV, will also be on display at the STM stand.
At the Azerbaijan International Defense Exhibition ADEX, which will be held at Baku Expo Center on September 24-26, STM will take its place at stand 2A120 with its naval platforms and tactical mini UAV systems produced.
Next Route: Asia Pacific, Philippines
At the Asian Defense and Security Exhibition (ADAS-2024), which will be held at Manila / Philippines on September 25-27, STM will take its place at stand 1620 with its naval platforms and tactical mini UAV systems produced.
STM will be displaying mock-ups of Türkiye's first national corvette project – the Ada Class MILGEM, Türkiye's first national frigate the İstif (I) Class Frigate, STM-MPAC Multi Purpose Attack Craft, Logistics Support Ship and will be presenting its STM500, a small-sized submarine to the participants.
From among STM’s tactical mini-UAV systems, KARGU (loitering munition), Mini UAV BOYGA with Mortar Payload and TOGAN, a national surveillance and reconnaissance UAV, will also be on display at the STM stand.
Background Information
Production Aligned with NATO Standards
STM is engaged in collaborations, technology transfer and business development activities in more than 30 countries, from South America to the Far East. As part of its design, construction and modernization activities, STM develops flexible indigenous engineering solutions for the surface and submarine platforms of Türkiye – a NATO member with one of the most active navies in the world – and for the navies of friendly and allied nations, addressing specific needs and ensuring more effective mission performance. The systems successfully used in the field by the Turkish Navy are being exported overseas by STM as quality, affordable and modern engineering solutions. STM, with its long-term service support and indigenously developed weapon systems, makes a difference by offering its products and capabilities to navies of other nations in a way that embargoes cannot affect them.
Türkiye's Naval Engineering Power
The Turkish Naval Forces is making active use of the four MİLGEM Ada-Class Corvettes manufactured under a project in which STM was the lead subcontractor, undertaking various crucial tasks. Ada Class Corvette can perform all main principal warfare types, namely AAW, ASUW, ASW and EW. She can conduct engagements against surface, air and underwater targets employing both dedicated onboard sensors & weapons and inorganic assets. From advanced weapon and combat systems to state-of-the-art sensors, these corvettes are ready for any mission.
STM, main contractor of Türkiye’s first national frigate TCG İSTANBUL, has delivered the ship featuring advanced electronic and weapon systems to the Turkish Navy. Work on the 6th, 7th and 8th MİLGEM ships, which will be the sister ships of TCG İSTANBUL, is going on under the STM-TAİS Joint Venture.
Besides, STM has delivered the Test and Training Ship TCG UFUK (A-591), built under a project in which it took on the main contractor role, at a ceremony attended on January 14, 2022.
STM, the Choice of the Navies of Many Nations, From Pakistan to Ukraine
STM attaches great importance to cost-effectiveness, uninterrupted technical support and knowledge transfer in every project in which it is involved, creating collaborations that will enhance the defense capabilities of nations. Under a project including technology transfer, STM launched a corvette construction project for the Ukrainian Navy in 2021, and the construction of two Ukrainian Corvettes under the project is successfully on track.
STM to Build 3 Corvettes for Royal Malaysian Navy
STM, the leading company in the Turkish defence sector, will build three corvettes for the Royal Malaysian Navy under the “Littoral Mission Ship Batch-2 (LMSB2)” project. The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has selected STM for the procurement of three warships under the LMS Batch-2 programme. The contract was signed in 2024.
In addition, STM designed the Pakistan Fleet Tanker PNS MOAWIN for the Pakistan Navy, and built it in Karachi. Constructed under Türkiye’s largest tonnage military shipbuilding project, the ship was delivered in 2018. STM, which is the main contractor in the modernization of Pakistan's Agosta 90B Khalid Class Submarines, has already modernized and delivered two of the submarines, while work on the third one is underway.
STM has gained the trust of the Pakistan Navy with the projects it has delivered successfully to date, and is currently involved in the construction of the four Ada-Class Corvettes being built by Türkiye for Pakistan, bringing all its engineering capabilities to the project for the procurement and integration of the main propulsion system.
Pioneering Submarine Projects
STM is also undertaking important tasks in the submarine modernization and construction projects of the Turkish Navy. Having successfully modernized two Ay-Class Submarines (Type-209/1200) in the role of main contractor, STM is now involved in the modernization of four Turkish Navy Preveze-Class Submarines (Type-209/1400) as the lead contractor. STM is also playing a critical role in the Turkish Navy New Type Submarine Project (Reis Class/Type-214) featuring an Air Independent Propulsion System, taking a significant step in the realization of the Turkish National Submarine Project. The company has achieved historic success in the project with the first-time local production of the head section (section 50) that houses the torpedo tubes, adding Türkiye to the short list of countries in the world with such a capability. STM’s small-tonnage submarine named STM500, which was developed with the company’s own resources, also attracts great interest from different parts of the world.
Combat-Proven Tactical UAV Systems
The attack and surveillance UAV systems developed by STM using its own engineering and technological capabilities are being used to full effect by the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) in the provision of border security, both at home and in international operations. The product range of STM, which develops and manufactures pioneering and competitive tactical mini UAV platforms for Türkiye and other countries in the world, includes Fixed Wing Loitering Munition System ALPAGU, Rotary Wing Loitering Munition System KARGU, Multi-Rotor UAS for Tactical Surveillance and Reconnaissance UAS TOGAN, Multi-Rotor Combat UAS with Mortar Payload BOYGA.
KARGU, which has been in TAF's inventory since 2018, achieved its first export success in 2021, and is currently in active use by more than 10 countries in three different continents. The munition-dropping UAV BOYGA is another product of STM that is successfully serving in the Turkish Armed Forces. These modern warfare systems have already proven themselves successfully in the combat environment.
About STM
STM has been serving the Turkish defence sector for over a quarter of a century in such areas as engineering, technology and consultancy, working in fields that are critical for Türkiye and its allies. It applies its advanced capabilities and technologies to a broad range of strategic fields, ranging from naval platforms to tactical mini UAV systems, from command and control systems to cybersecurity, and from big data analytics to artificial intelligence applications.
