HAVELSAN, which introduced the SANCAR SİDA to security forces, has integrated advanced mission software into the world-renowned RAFNAR boats manufactured by VN Maritime, making the platforms fully autonomous and remotely controllable.
Widely used in both civilian and security sectors—particularly in the challenging maritime conditions of Northern Europe—these boats will be capable of carrying out a wide range of critical missions, from fish detection and research tasks to coast guard operations, either with a crew or fully unmanned.
With the efforts underway within the Turkish defense industry focused on unmanned maritime vehicles, product families are beginning to emerge.
HAVELSAN, which has provided the SANCAR SİDA (armed unmanned surface vehicle)—developed in collaboration with Yonca Technical Shipyard—to security forces, has added a new platform to its Unmanned Surface Vehicle Product Family.
Leveraging its deep engineering expertise in software, hardware, and system integration to provide autonomy capabilities to land, air, surface, and underwater platforms, HAVELSAN has transformed the RAFNAR boats—manufactured by VN Maritime and renowned worldwide—into fully autonomous and remotely controllable vessels through advanced mission software.
VN Maritime (Rafnar Turkey) boats, which meet high maritime standards and feature the ÖK Hull design, are widely used in both civilian and security applications, particularly in the challenging maritime conditions of Northern Europe.
Under this new collaboration, the maritime platform will be capable of carrying out numerous critical missions—ranging from fish detection and research tasks to coast guard operations—either with a human crew or fully unmanned.
Thanks to the autonomous control and mission software developed by HAVELSAN, the platforms will be equipped with sensor fusion, route optimization, collision-avoidance algorithms, and command-and-control links featuring an uninterrupted communications infrastructure. As a result, the boats will gain the ability to operate not only via manual remote control but also completely independently using decision support systems and HAVELSAN’s mission intelligence.
As part of the collaboration, the Icelandic-made Rafnar boats—known for their superior maritime performance—will be redesigned to support both manned and unmanned operational modes and are expected to generate significant market volume.
Radar, LiDAR, electro-optical systems, cameras, navigation systems, specialized mission payloads, as well as software and platform integration will also be carried out by HAVELSAN.
Civil and military solutions for the European market
HAVELSAN’s experience in this critical field began with the SANCAR SİDA project, developed in collaboration with YONCA Shipyard to meet the needs of the Turkish Naval Forces Command.
As part of this project, HAVELSAN—which has also integrated the ADVENT Combat Management System alongside autonomous capabilities—aims to establish a broad product portfolio comprising various types of unmanned maritime vehicles through this step, which shapes the operational concept.
HAVELSAN and VN Maritime plan to initially position these autonomous platforms for civilian use in the European market, with the goal of subsequently developing solutions for the protection of critical bases, port security, and military reconnaissance and surveillance missions. As a result, Turkey will strengthen its exports of high-tech unmanned surface vehicles in both the civilian and military maritime sectors.
