STM continues to contribute to the operational capabilities of the Turkish Armed Forces with domestically developed technologies proven in combat environments. In the EFES-2026 Exercise being conducted in Izmir Seferihisar with the participation of 45 countries, STM's national warships and unmanned systems will take active roles. In particular, STM's strike UAV KARGU, equipped with autonomous swarm capabilities, will be deployed in the field and will be able to conduct coordinated missions and simultaneous attacks against targets.

STM plays a leading role in Turkey's defense industry ecosystem in the fields of naval platforms and unmanned systems. The company provides services ranging from the design and construction of national ships to submarine modernization across a wide spectrum. STM's participation in the EFES-2026 Exercise provides the company with an opportunity to test its technologies in an operational environment and establish coordination with the Turkish Armed Forces. The exercise serves as a platform for defense industry companies to demonstrate and develop their advanced systems under realistic combat conditions.

The KARGU system's swarm concept stands out with its artificial intelligence and image processing-enabled mission capabilities. The system can operate autonomously under single-operator control using entirely national algorithms. STM successfully directed a swarm of 20 KARGUs against live-ammunition targets in a field test conducted in Ankara Polatlı in January 2026, achieving a significant success for Turkey in the field of live-ammunition swarm operations worldwide. This achievement represents a critical milestone for Turkish defense industry in terms of localization and autonomous system development.

STM's role as prime contractor in the MİLGEM Ada-class corvette project holds an important place as Turkey's first national corvette project. Four units have been delivered to date, and these ships are successfully fulfilling their duties in the live-fire field phase of the exercise. Additionally, submarines under STM's submarine construction and modernization projects will also participate in the exercise. These platforms enhance the operational capabilities of the Turkish Navy and underscore the importance of national technologies in maritime defense.

In the Defense Industry Exhibition to be held as part of the exercise, STM will display the TCG İSTANBUL (F-515) frigate, national attack craft, logistics support ship, and STM NETA 300 unmanned autonomous underwater vehicle. In the unmanned aerial vehicles field, the 1000+ kilometer-range KUZGUN kamikaze UAV, the TUNGA-X drone interceptor capable of reaching 300 kilometers per hour, the TOGAN-Mini reconnaissance surveillance system, and the TOGAN scout UAV will be presented for inspection by domestic and foreign delegations. This broad product range demonstrates the technological level achieved by the Turkish defense industry and its localization success to the world public.