U-MAV is designed to operate as part of a manned-unmanned team with Marine Assault Vehicles already in service with the Turkish Naval Forces Command. Its primary mission is to engage coastal defenses ahead of manned MAV/ZAHA elements, clear mines and obstacles according to its payload configuration, prepare the beach for their approach and landing, and provide support during later phases of the operation.
FNSS developed the platform to remove personnel from the first wave, which the company describes as the highest-risk phase of an amphibious assault. U-MAV can operate autonomously, by remote control or in a hybrid mode, allowing operators to remain away from the line of contact throughout the mission.
“FNSS continues to grow its work and its R&D investment in unmanned and autonomous vehicle technologies,” said Selim Baybaş, FNSS CEO and Board Member. “U-MAV brings together our engineering capability, the field success of the Marine Assault Vehicle (MAV) and our continuing R&D effort in a new-generation, heavy-class unmanned amphibious vehicle.”
“Very few companies worldwide can build an unmanned amphibious vehicle of this size and capability,” Baybaş said. “With more than 35 years of experience in the industry and an active production line able to build several different platforms concurrently, FNSS is one of a small number of NATO suppliers that can do so. I am proud to say that U-MAV opens a new era for FNSS.”
The vehicle uses a common base platform with interchangeable mission modules that can be changed in the field in about 40 minutes. FNSS has defined 10 configurations: Fire Support, Mine Clearance, Combat Engineering, Electronic Warfare, Reconnaissance, Deception, Counter-Drone, Navigation and Obstacle Marking, Logistics Support, and Casualty Evacuation.
Multiple U-MAV variants can operate together during the same mission, allowing different configurations to support a common operation. FNSS said the shared platform and sustainment infrastructure are designed to minimize the logistics footprint while maintaining operational readiness.
U-MAV can move directly from sea to shore, with a swimming speed of 7 knots and a road speed of 70 kilometers per hour. A 300-horsepower powerpack propels the 8-ton vehicle, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 37.5 hp per tonne.
An independent suspension system supports maneuverability, while selectable tire options allow the vehicle to be adapted to different ground conditions. FNSS also designed U-MAV with low visual, thermal and acoustic signatures and sufficient payload volume for mission equipment, logistics support and casualty evacuation.
The platform uses an encrypted mesh network, GNSS/INS navigation and an IFF identification module to maintain command-and-control continuity. Its communications range is 3 kilometers in line-of-sight conditions and can be extended across all variants through UAV relay support.
An inertial navigation unit maintains a position estimate when satellite signals are denied or degraded. If the datalink is interrupted, U-MAV first enters a safe hold state and then either returns to base along a pre-programmed route or continues its navigation task, depending on the configuration.
FNSS said operators can remain aboard ship throughout the mission, removing them from the risks faced by traditional vanguard elements. The platform is intended to continue supporting Marine units after initial contact, including during the assault, support, seizure and securing of the beachhead.
U-MAV also uses an AI-enabled image-processing architecture that analyzes camera feeds in real time on the vehicle’s onboard mission computer. Rather than transmitting high-bandwidth video, it sends detection data over the radio link to preserve low-latency target awareness when bandwidth is constrained or communications are degraded.
Detected objects are assigned threat scores, types and status information through color-coded overlays and detailed intelligence cards. Automatic target detection and fire-control systems present prioritized targets to the operator, while all detected targets are tracked and recorded with timestamps.
FNSS said newly defined target types or engagement rules can be applied immediately to a live imagery feed in the field. The system is intended to reduce the operator’s scanning burden and accelerate the engagement cycle.
U-MAV is also the first unmanned vehicle to integrate Nurol Teknoloji’s Armor Integrity structural integrity monitoring system into its digital architecture. Because no crew is present to assess a hit, sensors determine an impact’s location, direction and severity in real time, calculate remaining structural capacity and track damage that accumulates over time.
The system sends that information to the operator and chain of command to support tactical decisions. It can provide options that include maneuvering to protect a weakened area, taking cover, continuing the mission or shifting to a passive role.
If connectivity is lost, Armor Integrity stores its data locally and transmits it when communications are restored. FNSS said this allows information to continue feeding the decision cycle from the operator through tactical planning and logistics support.
U-MAV is transportable by road, rail and sea using standard military transport assets. For rapid deployment by air, FNSS lists compatibility with the CH-47F Chinook, Mil Mi-26, C-130 Hercules, A400M, C-17 Globemaster, C-5 Galaxy, An-124 and Il-76.
