STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş. offers key solutions in naval platforms, tactical mini-UAV systems, cyber security, command and control, consulting, satellites and aerospace, led by Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), playing an important role in Turkey’s fully independent defence industry target and contributing to the national technology movement.
STM is the biggest private ship design and engineering company of Turkey, a NATO-member country, with its engineering capabilities and 750-strong qualified personnel line-up. It provides indigenous engineering solutions in design, construction, and modernisation activities for increasing the mission capabilities of surface and submarine platforms. The company is not only working with the Turkish Naval Forces, one of the most active navies in the world, but with allied and friendly countries as well.
TCG İSTANBUL Frigate to be Delivered in 2023
MİLGEM Ada Class Corvettes, delivered by STM as their main subcontractor with a domestic production ratio of 70 percent, are actively being used in the Turkish Naval Forces. STM assumed the prime contractor position after MİLGEMs, for the İ Class Frigate project, and the company is planning for a 2023 delivery, with the first ship having a 75 percent domestic production ratio. Said ship, which is also designed by STM, was named TCG İSTANBUL and launched on 23 January 2021 with a ceremony.
Critical Localization in Submarines
STM is also doing its part in the modernisation and construction of submarines for the Turkish Naval Forces. The company successfully modernised two of AY Class submarines and is now involved in the modernisation of Preveze Class submarines as a pilot partner.
In addition, the company is an important part of Reis Class New Type Submarine Project (YTDP). The project will advance the National Submarine Project a step closer to realisation. As for STM, the company constructed the bow part of the submarine including torpedo tubes (Section 50), as a first for Turkey. This achievement has only been reached by few countries in the world so far. STM domesticated 33 systems within the YDTP, and it helped expand the capacities of national contractors by working with 19 Turkish companies.
The Corvettes of the Ukrainian Navy Carries STM’s Signature
STM is the first company with submarine design and modernisation capabilities in Turkey and the company aims to provide allied and friendly countries with its capabilities as well, exporting its services as well as capabilities. The company started building corvettes for the Ukrainian Navy this year, which also includes a technology transfer agreement.
STM was also the main contractor of PNS MOAWIN, a supply ship designed by STM for the Pakistani Navy and built in Karachi and delivered in 2018, and modernization of Agosta 90B Khalid Class submarines, also of the Pakistani Navy.
Cutting Edge Projects for Tactical Mini UAVs
STM is one of the leading companies in Turkey and the world in Tactical Mini UAV Systems as well. The ISR and precision strike UAV systems STM developed with its own engineering and technologies are being used by Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) for border security very effectively, including overseas operations. The Tactical Mini UAV System product family of STM is comprised of Fixed Wing Loitering Munition System ALPAGU, Rotary Wing Attack UAV KARGU and Autonomous Multi-Rotor Reconnaissance UAV TOGAN.
First Export Success from KARGU
KARGU has been in service since 2018 within TAF, and the first export was made this year. The delivery of the exported KARGU drones is ongoing, and negotiations are underway with the countries that showed interest to the system. KARGU has navigation capabilities thanks to its mission computer, and the system is able to neutralise targets, which are designated by its operator, effectively and accurately, including moving ones. The system executes its missions under the command of an operator with its Man-in-the-Loop design principle. KARGU has proved itself in Turkey and abroad in various battlefields. The system is capable of being operated as a single unit or as a part of a swarm. As it is a rotary wing drone, the system is easily reusable. KARGU can be carried by a single soldier and covers a wide area.
ALPAGU Set to Join Turkish Arsenal
ALPAGU, on the other hand, is a cut above its peers with its lightweight construction, high dive speed, small radar cross section, and high air speed, able to give precision strike capabilities to its user. The system can be carried by a single soldier and launched from its canister. ALPAGU, with its 1.9 kg weight, is the second loitering munition in the world in its weight class. The system has completed its firing tests and will enter the inventory of TAF in the upcoming weeks.
TOGAN is equipped with advanced IR and electro-optical cameras, and the system has a longer endurance compared to its peers. The system can share targeting data with both KARGU and ALPAGU, and able to offer an uninterrupted surveillance capability as it can automatically transfer duties to another drone.
New Tactical Mini UAV Solutions from STM
The Ammunition Dropping UAV BOYGA and RF Seeker and Armour Piercing versions of KARGU, the newest solutions developed by STM in tactical mini-UAV class, were showcased in IDEF’21.
Turkey’s First Cyber Fusion Centre
One of the main business areas of STM is cyber security, and the company is expanding its military cyber security activities to the civilian sector and shaping its capabilities with the private sector in mind as well as the defence sector. The company takes a holistic approach to cyber security, utilising plenty of elements like cyber threat intelligence, technical analysis of malicious software, decision support processes, and even raising awareness for the cyber threats. STM Cyber Fusion Centre (CFC) is the first such centre in Turkey, operating since 2017. The centre plays an important role in the activities mentioned before and consists of 3 integrated main centres: Cyber Threat Intelligence Centre, Cyber Operations Centre, and Malware Analysis Laboratory (Z-Lab). CFC serves both the public and private sector, offering its services to plenty of organisations. The company also completed TAF Cyber Security Centre Project and is currently involved in Bilgin project for the Turkish National Police.
Local Suppliers Penetrate Foreign Markets with STM
STM has created a wide supply chain in all of its activities, and the fact that the company has been successfully managing the coordination and integration between its stakeholders makes the company more reliable in the eyes of foreign companies. STM has collaborated with around 300 system providers and more than 400 construction material suppliers and providers within the military naval platform construction and modernisation projects, both foreign and domestic, the company undertook so far. More than 20 companies had the chance to indirectly export through the STM’s Supply Ship Project for the Pakistani Navy. The company is also collaborating with development agencies to support the ecosystem and trying to expand the partnership opportunities with Turkish producers. STM does not plan to meet the needs of end users with only its products, but with its ecosystem as well.