Turkey unveils MIR naval surface drone for fighting submarines

ANKARA — The Turkish government’s defense industrial-policy office, the Defense Industries Presidency SSB, has unveiled the MIR, an unmanned naval vehicle designed to fight submarines from the surface.

Ismail Demir, head of SSB, told the press that the MIR will come in three features. It can be used autonomously, in a remote control operations or manned with a crew.

The MIR will have electronic-warfare capabilities, sonar and a range of missiles developed by Turkey’s state-controlled missile maker Roketsan.

“The MIR will offer a wide spectrum of options to the user … including multi-functional warfare instruments,” Demir said.

The vessel can perform search and rescue operations as well. It will have interoperability features to be used with other manned or unmanned assets.

“The MIR will enter the military’s inventory as soon as its advanced sonar has been integrated into the system,” Demir said.

The naval drone was developed by a partnership of military electronics specialist Aselsan, Turkey’s biggest defense firm, and Sefine, a privately owned shipyard.