As the threat perception in modern naval warfare changes rapidly, the underwater domain is becoming far more critical in countries’ defense planning. Today, underwater threats are no longer limited to conventional mines or large manned submarines. Smart munitions capable of remaining dormant on the seabed for long periods, autonomous underwater vehicles and next-generation systems that are difficult to detect are reshaping the protection and attack concepts of naval forces. ASELSAN engineers evaluated this changing threat environment through the next-generation underwater warfare approach built around the DERİNGÖZ and KILIÇ product families.

ASELSAN’s work in the underwater domain is shaped around the DERİNGÖZ Product Family for defense and protection needs and the KILIÇ Kamikaze Autonomous Underwater Vehicle family for attack concepts. DERİNGÖZ stands out as a solution that can be used in missions such as reconnaissance, surveillance, mine detection, critical infrastructure inspection and seabed examination through autonomous underwater vehicles. This capability provides important advantages especially for the protection of ports, naval bases, energy lines, underwater cables and strategic passage points.

One of the most important issues in the next-generation underwater warfare concept is early detection and accurate classification of threats. The underwater environment presents far more challenging conditions than air and land domains in terms of communication, detection and guidance. Therefore, autonomous underwater vehicles must be equipped with advanced sensors, sonar systems, mission computers, AI-supported data processing capabilities and reliable navigation infrastructure. ASELSAN’s approach in this field is based on developing product families and integrated mission architectures that can be shaped according to mission needs rather than relying on individual platforms.

The KILIÇ Kamikaze Autonomous Underwater Vehicle family is considered one of the notable new capabilities in the underwater attack concept. KILIÇ aims to offer a deterrent solution against underwater targets with features such as low detectability, precise guidance and autonomous mission execution. The spread of unmanned and autonomous systems in naval warfare reduces the need to directly use high-cost platforms in risky areas while increasing operational flexibility and the element of surprise. In this respect, the KILIÇ family could become an important element in the distributed and multi-layered naval operations of the future.

DERİNGÖZ’s previous success in detecting bottom and moored mines at different depths during fully autonomous field tests has been one of the important examples showing the level ASELSAN has reached in autonomous underwater systems. Such systems, which reduce the risk to manned platforms in mine countermeasure operations, have the potential to shorten mission duration, increase detection accuracy and strengthen operational safety. In this way, naval forces can obtain a faster and safer data infrastructure for decision-making in areas where mine threats exist.

As a result, ASELSAN’s next-generation underwater warfare concept shaped by the DERİNGÖZ and KILIÇ product families reflects Türkiye’s goal of advancing its defense, surveillance, mine countermeasure and attack capabilities at sea. Elements such as autonomy, sensor fusion, AI-supported analysis, low visibility and mission flexibility are becoming decisive in the underwater operations of the future. Türkiye’s development of indigenous systems in this field strengthens deterrence in the Blue Homeland while also increasing the international competitiveness of the Turkish defense industry in naval technologies.