The system aims to boost the Turkish Naval Forces' technical capacity in underwater acoustics and unmanned surface vehicle (USV) operations, addressing high-precision imaging requirements across complex maritime environments.
Developed under the SAS Project contract signed with Turkey’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB) in July 2024, MILSAS leveraged synthetic aperture algorithms originally engineered for Meteksan's MILSAR airborne radar system and adapted them for subsea acoustics.
High-Resolution Subsea Imaging
Unlike conventional Side Scan Sonars (SSS), which suffer from degraded angular resolution at extended ranges, MILSAS processes acoustic signals coherently along the platform's trajectory to create a virtual aperture. The system compensates in real time for phase errors caused by temperature and salinity stratification, as well as platform motion instability.
Featuring a dual-use architecture, MILSAS is designed for both military and commercial missions, including the detection of buried or camouflaged sea mines, inspection of offshore natural gas pipelines and submarine communications cables, search and rescue operations, and high-precision seabed mapping.
Unmanned Platform Integration
Engineered for integration with Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), and towed bodies, MILSAS enables post-mission acoustic data transfer when deployed on autonomous platforms such as the ULAQ USV. The capability is expected to enhance the Turkish Navy's autonomous underwater warfare capacity.
Key Technical Specifications
- SAS Image Resolution: 4 cm (Sub-centimeter class high-detail imaging)
- Maximum Range (Single Side): 300 m (600 m total swath width)
- Operating Speed: 2 – 8 knots
- Operating Depth: 0 – 600 m
- Operating Temperature: -3°C to +45°C
- Storage Temperature: -20°C to +60°C
- Power Consumption (Nominal): 145 W
- Power Input: 40V DC – 50V DC