Our university is undertaking another significant R&D project that will contribute to our country's defense industry and maritime technologies. The project, titled "Integrated Optimization of Electromagnetic and Fluid Dynamics with Artificial Intelligence Support for Low Radar Cross Section Marine Vehicle Design," led by Prof. Dr. Caner Özdemir, Head of the Telecommunications Department of the Electrical-Electronics Engineering Faculty and Dean of Research at Mersin University, has been awarded funding under the TÜBİTAK 1001 - Scientific and Technological Research Projects Support Program. The project aims to design unmanned marine vehicles with low radar visibility and high maneuverability using artificial intelligence algorithms.

Prepared with a multidisciplinary approach, the project will be carried out in collaboration with İri Reis University and İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University. The project aims to develop domestically produced unmanned marine vehicle designs with low radar visibility (stealth) and high hydrodynamic performance.

First Scientific and Industrial Application of Patented Technology

Providing information about the project's starting point, Prof. Dr. Caner Özdemir stated that the study is based on the "Reduced Radar Visibility Object" patent, which was registered with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office in 2025 by the project team. Prof. Dr. Özdemir explained that in traditional ship design processes, electromagnetic wave scattering and fluid dynamics are usually examined separately, leading to design limitations. He added, "In our project, we will address electromagnetic scattering analysis and fluid dynamics simulations in an integrated approach, allowing them to provide input to each other. By managing the interaction between these two fields with artificial intelligence-based optimization algorithms, we will develop an optimal marine vessel design method. Thus, we will produce solutions that reduce the ship's radar visibility while maintaining critical maritime performances such as stability, hydrodynamic drag, and maneuverability."

Preliminary Designs for Unmanned Reconnaissance and Kamikaze Ships to be Developed

Emphasizing that the project will provide tangible outputs to the defense industry upon completion, Prof. Dr. Özdemir stated, "As a project output, we aim to develop two preliminary designs: one for an unmanned reconnaissance-observation ship with low radar visibility, 12-13 meters in length, and another for an unmanned kamikaze ship, 6-7 meters in length. Furthermore, by obtaining models suitable for technology transfer to the defense industry, we will contribute to the domestic software infrastructure and design methodology.”

Thanks to our Rector Prof. Dr. Erol Yaşar

Expressing his gratitude for the support throughout the project process, Prof. Dr. Caner Özdemir said, "I would like to thank my teammates at Mersin University, Piri Reis University, and İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University who have put in great effort in preparing this project. I would also like to express my gratitude to our Rector of Mersin University, Prof. Dr. Erol Yaşar, for the opportunities and incentives he provided, and to TÜBİTAK for supporting our project."

Strong Academic Collaboration

In this project, where our university will undertake radar cross-section simulations and artificial intelligence optimization, Piri Reis University and Izmir Katip Çelebi University will manage the computational fluid dynamics processes. The project team will include Prof. Dr. Zeki Yetkin from our University's Computer Engineering Department, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taşdemir from Piri Reis University's Faculty of Maritime Studies, and Dr. Mehmet Akman and Dr. Sertaç Bulut from Izmir Katip Çelebi University's Faculty of Naval Architecture and Maritime Studies as researchers. Additionally, four postgraduate scholarship recipients will be employed in the project, contributing to the training of young researchers.