STM has signed an export contract with an EU and NATO member country for its national loitering munition UAV systems, KARGU and ALPAGU. With this critical step, STM’s UAV solutions have now reached a total of 15 countries across 4 continents.
STM Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc. continues to strengthen its position in the international market. The rotary-wing loitering munition UAV system KARGU and the fixed-wing loitering munition UAV system ALPAGU—both actively used in the field by the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and proven through operational success—are taking to European skies.
Not Just a Product, but Software and Integration Solutions
The agreement signed between STM and an undisclosed EU and NATO member country goes beyond a conventional product sale and includes a comprehensive engineering project. Within the scope of the project, KARGU and ALPAGU will be integrated into land vehicles in accordance with local user requirements and operational doctrine. In addition to platform delivery, STM will personally carry out the software integrations required to ensure full compatibility of these systems with the country’s existing battle management systems and operational concepts.
4 Continents, 15 Countries: “A Tangible Indicator of Trust”
Commenting on the export success, STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz stated: “The export of KARGU and ALPAGU to a NATO and EU member country is a tangible indicator of the international trust placed in our engineering expertise and systems. As of today, we are very pleased to have brought our UAV systems together with users in 15 countries across four different continents. This project represents not only a platform export, but also a high value-added integration and software export.”
KARGU and ALPAGU: The Striking Power of the Modern Battlefield
Fully aligned with the changing dynamics of the modern battlefield, STM’s loitering munition UAV family stands out with its operational flexibility and high strike precision. The rotary-wing KARGU, actively used in the field by the Turkish Armed Forces, provides a strategic advantage under asymmetric warfare conditions thanks to its rapidly interchangeable anti-personnel and armor-piercing warheads, AI-supported image processing capabilities, and GNSS-independent mission capability.
ALPAGU, the fixed-wing member of the family, specializes in creating pinpoint destruction against critical targets with its lightweight structure of under 2 kilograms, low radar cross-section, and high dive speed. Both systems operate fully under operator control based on the “Man-in-the-Loop” principle, minimizing the margin of error in target detection and neutralization, and serving as reliable force multipliers with a surprise effect.
Following the successful completion of this project, STM aims to integrate its autonomous product family into a greater number of land vehicles in the relevant country. This cooperation is expected to serve as a critical reference for future operational deployments in European countries.
Source: C4Defence /STM
