Mersin University has launched a new project, supported by TÜBİTAK, to develop an unmanned surface vessel (USV) with low radar visibility and high maneuverability. The project, led by Prof. Dr. Caner Özdemir, Head of the Telecommunications Division at the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at Mersin University, has been funded under the TÜBİTAK 1001 program.
The study, to be carried out in collaboration with Piri Reis University and İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University, aims to design indigenous unmanned surface vessels with low radar visibility and high hydrodynamic performance.
Unlike traditional ship design processes, the project will adopt an integrated approach combining electromagnetic scattering analysis with computational fluid dynamics simulations.
Upon completion, the project will deliver two preliminary designs for the defense industry: an unmanned reconnaissance and surveillance vessel of 12–13 meters in length, and an unmanned kamikaze vessel of 6–7 meters.
While Mersin University will be responsible for radar cross-section simulations and AI-based optimization, Piri Reis University and İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University will lead the computational fluid dynamics processes.
The Turkish Shipbuilders’ Association (GİSBİR) held its second Board of Directors meeting of 2026 on Tuesday, January 20. The meeting, which took place at the GİSBİR headquarters, was chaired by Murat Kıran and conducted in a hybrid format with members attending both in person and online.
