Türkiye’s major defense player, STM, plans to showcase its advanced naval platforms and unmanned systems at three defense exhibitions: MSPO 2026 in Poland, Africa Aerospace and Defense (AAD) 2026 in South Africa, and ADEX 2026 in Azerbaijan.
STM’s press release:
STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş., a subsidiary of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB), brings its experience, which has been gained through the company’s efforts to meet Türkiye’s needs, to friendly and allied nations through cooperation and technology transfer.
As part of its export-driven sustainable growth strategy, STM continues to expand its global footprint and strengthen its engagement with international partners. In September, STM will participate in three major defence exhibitions across three continents: MSPO 2026 in Poland, Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2026 in South Africa, and ADEX 2026 in Azerbaijan. Across these exhibitions, STM will showcase its advanced solutions spanning naval platforms, tactical UAVs, autonomous underwater systems and next-generation strike capabilities to international military delegations and industry stakeholders.
Advanced Naval and Unmanned Solutions for the European Market
STM’s first stop in September will be MSPO 2026, one of Europe’s leading defence exhibitions, taking place in Kielce, Poland, from September 8–11. At MSPO, STM will showcase the model of the Auxiliary Oiler Replenisher and Logistics Ship currently being built for the Portuguese Navy under Türkiye’s first naval export project to an EU and NATO member state. The display will also feature the İ-Class Frigate, STM MPAC Fast Attack Craft and the STM500 shallow-water submarine.
In autonomous naval systems, STM will present the STM NETA 300 Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle and STM YAKTU, a swarm-capable Kamikaze Unmanned Surface Vehicle (KUSV). STM’s unmanned aerial systems display will feature KARGU, the combat-proven rotary-wing loitering munition system exported to more than 15 countries across four continents; TOGAN Mini, developed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions; TUNGA-X, a high-speed interceptor drone designed to neutralise hostile UAV threats; and KUZGUN, a long-range loitering munition system with a range exceeding 1,000 kilometres.
Proven Naval Engineering and Unmanned Solutions in Africa
STM’s second stop in September will be Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2026, taking place in Pretoria, South Africa, from September 16–20. In naval engineering, STM will showcase the İ-Class Frigate, the Pakistan Navy Fleet Tanker (PNFT), designed and built by STM and commissioned in 2018, the STM MPAC Fast Attack Craft, and the STM500 shallow-water submarine.
Building on decades of experience in submarine engineering, STM has developed extensive capabilities in the modernisation of existing submarine fleets. The company successfully completed the modernisation of the Pakistan Navy’s French-made Agosta 90B-class submarines and currently leads the modernisation of Türkiye’s Type-209 submarines. At AAD 2026, STM will also present the STM NETA 300 Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, complementing its range of manned and unmanned underwater solutions.
In unmanned aerial systems, STM will showcase KARGU, its combat-proven rotary-wing loitering munition system; TURUL VTOL UAV, offering vertical take-off and landing capabilities; TOGAN integrated with KERKES, enabling operations in GNSS-denied environments; TOGAN Mini, developed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions; and TUNGA-X, a high-speed interceptor drone designed to neutralise hostile UAV threats.
Advanced Autonomy and Swarm Capabilities at ADEX
STM will conclude its September exhibition schedule at ADEX 2026, taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from September 30 to October 2. In naval systems, STM will showcase the ADA-Class Corvette, developed under the MİLGEM programme, the high-speed and highly manoeuvrable STM MPAC Fast Attack Craft, and the STM NETA 300 Unmanned Autonomous Underwater Vehicle.
In autonomous systems, STM will highlight its expertise in swarm intelligence, distributed autonomy and resilient navigation. At EFES-2026, a swarm of 20 KARGU loitering munitions, controlled by a single operator, autonomously navigated to the mission area and conducted a coordinated live-ammunition strike against designated targets. The operation marked the first-ever live-ammunition swarm attack by sub-cloud UAVs in an integrated military exercise, demonstrating the operational maturity of STM’s distributed swarm intelligence architecture. STM’s autonomy capabilities also encompass KERKES technology, enabling UAVs to navigate and perform missions in GNSS-denied environments, as well as swarm-capable autonomous naval systems such as STM YAKTU, a Kamikaze Unmanned Surface Vehicle (KUSV).
At ADEX, STM will also showcase KARGU, its combat-proven rotary-wing loitering munition system, which is also in service in Azerbaijan; TOGAN Mini, developed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions; and TUNGA-X, a high-speed interceptor drone designed to neutralise hostile UAV threats.
Güleryüz: Our Solutions Are Operational Across Four Continents
Commenting on STM’s global activities and its September exhibition schedule, Özgür Güleryüz, General Manager of STM, stated:
“Over the past 35 years, STM has built a strong global presence through its engineering expertise. To date, we have undertaken 44 naval projects across 11 shipyards in Türkiye and abroad, while our UAV systems are operational in more than 15 countries across four continents. We also develop mission-critical software for NATO’s intelligence infrastructure, and today, exports account for more than 65 percent of our revenue. Our sustainable growth strategy is built on delivering tailored, cost-effective and innovative solutions through flexible engineering, fast delivery and technology transfer. We see these three major exhibitions across Europe, Africa and Asia as an opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships, engage with new customers and pursue further opportunities for international cooperation. We will continue to expand STM’s global footprint and deliver proven engineering solutions to partners worldwide.”