BEST DEFENCE, a subsidiary of Turkey’s leading defense industry company SARSILMAZ, has achieved a strategic success by transferring its expertise from land platforms to the maritime domain. Turkey’s first armed unmanned surface vehicle, ULAQ, has entered the Turkish Naval Forces inventory equipped with the 12.7 mm Naval Type Remote Controlled Weapon System (RCWS) developed by BEST DEFENCE.
Strategic Transition from Land to Sea
The ULAQ USV, developed in collaboration with ARES Shipyard and Meteksan Defense, was delivered in a ceremony held at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command. With this delivery, BEST DEFENCE’s RCWS solutions, which had proven themselves on land vehicles, have begun to form ULAQ’s striking power in a configuration adapted to maritime conditions.
Technical Features and Flexible Configuration
At the core of the system is the SAR 127 MT heavy machine gun, optimized to withstand the challenging effects of maritime conditions. Thanks to its modular design, this next-generation RCWS is fully compatible not only with 12.7 mm ammunition but also with 7.62 mm weapons, and can quickly adapt to different configurations with its cradle-mounted firing and cocking mechanism. Offering an ammunition capacity of 500 rounds for 12.7 mm and 1,000 rounds for 7.62 mm, the system’s compact design allows easy integration into both new platforms and modernization projects.
AI-Assisted Precision Firing
The system stands out with its AI-assisted target detection, identification, and tracking capabilities. The RCWS provides stabilized imagery free from maritime vibrations and roll motions, ensuring high accuracy even in dynamic environments where both the platform and the target are moving. Its open architecture allows integration with various combat management systems (CMS) and can be customized according to user requirements.
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Source: C4Defence-Best Defence
