The export achievements Türkiye has gained in recent years in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are paving the way for advanced next-generation technologies to enter the global defense market. Among these technologies, the “swarm concept” stands out as one of the most promising capabilities, both in terms of operational effectiveness and export potential.

STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret AŞ CEO Özgür Güleryüz, speaking at the 5th Global Strategies Conference on Defense and Aerospace Industry held in Antalya, emphasized that 2025 was a record-breaking year for defense and aerospace exports. He noted that the sector reached higher export levels earlier than expected, and that newly signed contracts and domestically developed systems indicate even greater growth in the coming years.

Güleryüz underlined that exports have accounted for nearly 65 percent of STM’s revenue over the last three to four years. He stated that naval projects carried out under contracts with Malaysia and Portugal have significantly increased STM’s international footprint, while unmanned systems remain another core pillar of the company’s activities.

In this context, the KARGU loitering munition has become one of STM’s flagship export products, now delivered to more than 15 countries. According to Güleryüz, repeat orders and higher quantity demands from existing users clearly demonstrate the system’s operational success and customer satisfaction. These achievements have also fueled growing interest in swarm-based solutions designed to counter air defense and anti-drone systems.

STM has been working for years on swarm algorithms using its own internal resources. Güleryüz explained that the company recently conducted a successful live-fire demonstration in which a single operator controlled up to 20 KARGU systems simultaneously, enabling coordinated attacks from multiple directions. He also revealed that STM is expanding its vision beyond aerial platforms, developing hybrid swarm concepts that integrate unmanned aerial, ground, and naval systems, including future underwater applications.

Highlighting the strategic importance of these technologies, Güleryüz stated that swarm systems will play a decisive role in future battlefields. He emphasized that Türkiye has reached a level where it is no longer merely following technological trends but actively shaping them, and that STM will continue investing in advanced engineering and emerging technologies to maintain this momentum.