By Goksel Yildirim
LANGKAWI, Malaysia (AA) - The prototype of Türkiye's first armed unmanned surface vessel, ULAQ, moved on to marine tests on Friday with a domestically built engine.
Participating in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aviation Fair (LIMA 2023) in Malaysia, Turkish defense industry company Meteksan Defense released the first images of the ULAQ's sea tests.
ULAQ's latest prototype is larger than the first and has been fitted with an engine developed by Turkish machinery company Tumosan, replacing a previous propeller motor and allowing the craft to operate at high speeds in shallow waters.
The ULAQ series, developed in cooperation with Turkish defense industry companies and the Ares Shipyard in Türkiye's southern province of Antalya, was lowered into the sea for the first time, the footage showed.
The first configuration of ULAQ is expected to be delivered in the last quarter of the year.