Türkiye’s Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, STM NETA, Continues Sea Trials

STM, Türkiye’s leading naval engineering company, continues sea trials of its Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle “STM NETA”. Just six months after its unveiling, STM NETA began sea trials and will primarily be used by the Turkish Navy for mine detection missions.

STM, one of the leading companies in the Turkish defence industry, has combined its naval competencies, autonomous vehicle capabilities, and command and control engineering knowledge to develop a indigenous unmanned autonomous underwater vehicle using its own resources.

“STM NETA” was developed under the Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Project to serve as the guardian of the depths. It was first unveiled at the SAHA EXPO Exhibition on 22 October, 2024.

First Contract Signed

After an extensive period of development, STM NETA 300 – the first member of the family – successfully completed its pool tests before proceeding to sea trials. Türkiye’s indigenous AUV successfully completed its initial sea tests in the Mediterranean Sea with outstanding results, and the trials are continuing successfully. The first domestic sales contract for STM NETA, which will be deployed primarily for mine detection missions, has been signed recently.

“MCM Missions for the Turkish Navy”

Özgür Güleryüz, General Manager of STM, Türkiye’s leading company in the field of naval platforms and autonomous systems, said:

We recently launched the sea trials of STM NETA 300, which we were able to introduce to the high sea after combining our capabilities in naval engineering, autonomous platforms, and command and control systems. Following the pool tests, we put the platform’s sensors, cameras, and autonomous navigation systems through their paces during the sea trials phase, and can now proceed to testing system performance. STM NETA 300 will be utilized by the Turkish Navy for Mine Countermeasures (MCM) missions.

“Medium- and Large-Class UAUVs are Next”

After embarking on this important journey with the STM NETA 300, we aim to expand the family with medium- and large-class unmanned underwater vehicles that will be more suitable for larger and deeper underwater operations. The technologies we are developing in this field will support our development of unmanned systems that can serve in a wide range of missions, from underwater security to mine detection. We believe that the STM NETA family will enhance the deterrent effect of our country in the Blue Homeland, and make a tremendous impression in the international arena, with exports to friendly and allied nations,” said Güleryüz.

24 hours at depths of up to 300 metres

The name NETA is derived from a naval expression, meaning smooth, safe and always ready. Developed by STM engineers with domestic and national capabilities, “STM NETA 300” is the first member of the Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle 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. 

Both Military and Civilian Applications

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.