Marlin, Turkey’s Most Advanced Unmanned Surface Vehicle, Fires Kuzgun-KY Missile For the First Time
The Marlin USV, Turkey’s most advanced unmanned naval platform, has recently added a new capability to its arsenal by firing the Kuzgun-KY (Raven-Solid Propellant) missile developed by TÜBİTAK-SAGE. Turkish Defense Industry Agency President İsmail Demir posted footage of the launch on his social media account. Demir stated that the test-fires from the Marlin USV were successful and said, “We continue to add new capabilities to our unmanned naval vehicles. With the launch of the solid propellant KUZGUN Cruise Missile from MARLIN, guided ammunition was fired for the first time from a USV. We are determined to go to the highest level in this field as well.”
MARLIN is an armed unmanned surface vehicle that began development in 2021 in collaboration with ASELSAN and SEFİNE Shipyard under the coordination of the Turkish Defense Industry Agency. SEFİNE Shipyard debuted this USV, originally dubbed RD09, at the DIMDEX-2022 International Maritime Fair and Conference in Doha, Qatar, in March of last year. During the fair, a SEFİNE Shipyard official informed Defense Turkey that the Marlin USV had been launched and was in the sea trials stage.
MARLIN first appeared on social media on September 15, 2022, with a post by İsmail Demir, the head of the Turkish Defense Industry Agency. The President of the Defense Industry stated in the post, “After the UCAVs, which are shown to be game changers on the field, Turkey is also making its claim with its USVs. MARLIN USV became the world’s first unmanned surface vehicle with electronic warfare capability! Türkiye is a forerunner, not a follower.” Later, MARLIN took part in the REPMUS 22 exercises held in Portugal between September 12 and 22, and the Dynamic Messenger 22 exercises held between September 25 and 30, becoming Turkey’s first unmanned surface vehicle to represent the country in NATO.
Successfully fulfilling many challenging tasks in these exercises, MARLIN was also praised by military officials from various countries who participated in the exercise. David Portal of NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) told Anadolu Agency, “MARLIN is a good example of innovation, working with elements of different navies. It is an interesting naval platform whose full integration we look forward to,” while Geoff Everts, NATO Dynamic Messenger 2022 Exercise Operations Control Coordinator, said, “MARLIN is impressive in that it is a multifunctional platform that can support surface warfare with its extensive weapon and sensor capabilities as well as underwater warfare.”
According to ASELSAN and SEFİNE Shipyard, MARLIN will be used for underwater and surface reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence, electronic warfare, target detection and identification, support of amphibious operations, defensive and offensive naval operations in coastal or open waters. MARLIN’s modular design and 4-ton payload capacity allow it to carry a variety of loads such as guided missiles, light torpedoes, 12.7 mm guns, electronic attack, electronic support, sonobuoy that extends sonar range, and towed array sonar systems based on operational requirements. The vehicle, which weighs 21 tons, measures 15 meters in length and 3.85 meters in width. The autonomous naval platform, which can maneuver and perform tasks even in a sea state of 5, can operate continuously for 72 hours. MARLIN, named after a fast-moving swordfish known as a “ship sinker” among sailors, has a cruise speed of 10 knots and a top speed of 36+ knots.
Aside from MARLIN, ASELSAN and SEFİNE Shipyard are also working on an unmanned surface vehicle called MIR, also known as NB57, which was designed for anti-submarine warfare. Turkey is working to develop the ULAQ, SANCAR, SALVO, and Albatros Unmanned Ship series projects in order to replicate its success in unmanned aerial vehicles in unmanned surface vehicles.