Türkiye's drive for localisation and nationalisation in the defence industry continues to deepen, evolving from platform production towards an integrated technology ecosystem that imbues platforms with intelligence. During a ceremony held at the HAVELSAN Technology Campus in Ankara with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, historic steps were taken to consolidate the digital power of the Turkish defence industry.
At the ceremony, the SANCAR Armed Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), the new autonomous guardian of the Blue Homeland, was officially inducted into the Naval Forces inventory, while the KAAN Technology Facility, which will serve as the brain for national aviation and maritime projects, and the Naval Combat Management Systems Centre Annex Building were inaugurated. During the same programme, the foundation was also laid for the HAVELSAN Simulator Production and Integration Facility, which upon completion will be the largest of its kind in Europe.
The Blue Homeland's New Force Multiplier: SANCAR USV in Inventory
The SANCAR USV, which takes Türkiye's unmanned capabilities at sea to an entirely new level, was developed in collaboration between HAVELSAN and Yonca Teknik Shipyard. Officially commissioned at the ceremony, the SANCAR USV embodies all the digital requirements of the modern naval warfare concept.
The prominent technical specifications of the SANCAR USV prove why the vehicle is described as a force multiplier:
- Dimensions and Performance: The platform, measuring 12.7 metres in length and 3.3 metres in width, draws attention with its 9-ton displacement. Thanks to its twin diesel engines and twin waterjet propulsion system, the SANCAR can exceed speeds of 40 knots (approximately 74 km/h) and achieve a range of 400 nautical miles (nm) at a cruising speed of 10 knots. Capable of operating even in Sea State 4 conditions, the vehicle demonstrates superior resistance to challenging weather.
- ADVENT ROTA Integration: The most significant feature distinguishing the SANCAR from its global competitors is that it is the first SİDA to use ADVENT ROTA, a version specifically developed for unmanned vehicles of ADVENT, the Turkish Naval Forces' standard combat management system. This allows the SANCAR to operate in full network-centric integration with other manned and unmanned elements in the navy, conducting swarm operations.
- Firepower and Sensors: Housing a 12.7 mm Stabilised Remotely Controlled Weapon System and a tactical missile system, the SANCAR can also conduct 24/7 uninterrupted reconnaissance, surveillance, and intelligence gathering using electro-optical sensors, radars, and AI-based image processing systems on a telescopic mast that can extend up to 4 metres.
President Erdoğan stated the following regarding the SANCAR USV:
"With the SANCAR SİDA we have added to our inventory, we are strengthening our unmanned capabilities at sea; we are increasing our security, effectiveness, and surveillance capacity."
The Digital Brain of the Sky Homeland: KAAN Technology Facility
One of the most strategic points inaugurated at the ceremony was undoubtedly the KAAN Technology Facility. Fifth-generation fighter jets stand out not merely for their aerodynamic designs but for their millions of lines of software code, sensor fusion capabilities, and digital infrastructure. This centre, operationalised within HAVELSAN, serves as the main base where the digital brain of the National Combat Aircraft KAAN will be developed.
At the KAAN Technology Facility, the aircraft's flight control software, mission software, ground support systems, cybersecurity infrastructure, and digital twin technologies will be developed. This will enable KAAN to communicate instantaneously with other unmanned aerial vehicles (such as ANKA-3, KIZILELMA) in the sky and assist the pilot in the battlefield with AI-supported decision support algorithms. This facility has gone down in history as one of the most significant institutional steps registering Türkiye's digital sovereignty in aviation.
Naval Combat Management Systems Centre and the Global Success of ADVENT
Another important facility inaugurated, the Naval Combat Management Systems Centre Annex Building, will further deepen Türkiye's national intellect at sea. The Network-Enabled Data Integrated Combat Management System (ADVENT), developed in collaboration with HAVELSAN and the Turkish Naval Forces Command, has today become a global brand, exported to 4 different continents, not just used by the Turkish navy.
With the opening of the centre, the AI capabilities of the ADVENT system will be further developed. HAVELSAN itself announced the finest example of the system's achieved integration level. The statement heralded, "Integration tests between the ADVENT Combat Management System and the Bayraktar TB3 UCAV have been successfully completed!" This integration means that Bayraktar TB3s launching from UCAV carriers like TCG Anadolu can establish flawless network-centric communication with the ship's combat management system, instantly relay targets to the navy, and conduct joint operations. ADVENT unifies all elements, from submarines under the sea to frigates on the surface, from UCAVs in the air to satellites in space, within a single decision-making mechanism.
Set to Be Europe's Largest: Simulator Production and Integration Facility
The Simulator Production and Integration Facility, whose foundation was laid at the ceremony, stands out as an investment that will mark a new era in Türkiye's training and testing infrastructure. While real-field testing of high-cost munitions and platforms and personnel training in the defence industry cost billions of dollars, the augmented reality and simulation systems developed by HAVELSAN solve this process with zero risk and minimal cost.
As President Erdoğan stated, upon completion, this complex will hold the title of Europe's largest production and integration facility in Simulation Technologies. Thanks to the facility, end-to-end, network-integrated training systems for KAAN, HÜRJET, ATAK, the Altay Tank, submarines, and air defence systems will be serially produced in a massive factory. This capacity will exponentially increase Türkiye's simulator exports.
HAVELSAN: The Power Adding Intelligence to the Defence Industry
The observation President Erdoğan emphasised in his speech "Deterrence is now measured not only by weapon systems, but by the software and data power that manages those systems" summarises the mission undertaken by HAVELSAN.
Today, HAVELSAN stands as a global giant, exporting command-and-control software to NATO, shaping the global naval warfare market with ADVENT, and implementing the Digital Unit (unmanned autonomous swarm) concept in the field with BARKAN, BAHA, and SANCAR. These newly opened facilities rise in Ankara as the most concrete monuments of Türkiye's transition from a country that produces platforms to one that imbues those platforms with intelligence through cybersecurity, AI, and autonomy. In President Erdoğan's words, these moves, which elevate Türkiye's defence power and deterrence to the next level both in the Sky Homeland and the Blue Homeland, represent a giant step towards the country's goal of full technological independence.
