Discrete and Process Automation

New 37-foot robotic submarine can launch missiles, kamikaze drones

28 May 2026

A new strike-capable 37 ft uncrewed underwater vehicle — capable of unleashing drones, missiles, torpedoes and mine warfare payloads to destroy threats — has been developed by a Turkish defense company.

The Sinarit XLUUV (Extra Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle) from Datum Submarine Technologies, which is often referred to as Orca by the U.S. Navy, is a large, autonomous diesel-electric submarine drone that is designed for months-long, independent and long-range missions without humans on board.

Source: CansinOzden / XSource: CansinOzden / X

The Sinarit XLUUV is made with interchangeable 12.5-ft payload sections that enable it to alternate between intelligence gathering, mine countermeasures, torpedo missions and strike operations.

The 19.8 ton UUV deploys one-way-attack FPV (First Person View) drones from under the surface. Likewise, the platform can be configured for up to 12 different mission payloads, including Baykar swarm drone launch systems, Malaman smart bottom mines, Akya and Orka torpedoes and advanced intelligence-gathering sensors from Aselsan.

The submarine can carry advanced sonar and ROV mine-countermeasure systems, as well as anti-ship, land-attack and surface-to-air missiles for multi-domain operations.

“Sinarit is an underwater pickup truck,” the team explained. “Whatever payload you put in its 3.8-meter cargo bay, it can secretly carry it to wherever you want underwater.”

With a maximum surface speed of 12 knots and a top submerged speed of 8 knots, the vehicle will reportedly be able to operate at depths of up to 328 feet.

Importantly, when submerged, the vehicle cannot be detected by radar or sonar, and cannot be tracked by satellite.

To contact the author of this article, email mdonlon@globalspec.com


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