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Türkiye Deploys ASLAN Combat UGV in NATO’s STEADFAST DART 26 to Advance Robotic Warfare Integration.
NATO Joint Force Command Brunssum confirmed on 20 February 2026 that Turkish forces deployed the ASLAN Unmanned Ground Vehicle during Exercise STEADFAST DART 26 in northern Germany. The move places a weaponised Turkish UGV inside NATO’s new Allied Reaction Force framework, signaling how unmanned systems are moving from experimentation to frontline combined arms integration.
On 19 February 2026, NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum reported that Turkish forces had deployed the ASLAN Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) during exercise STEADFAST DART 26 in northern Germany. As one of NATO’s major manoeuvre exercises of the year, STEADFAST DART 26 serves as a key testbed for the new Allied Reaction Force and for emerging robotic and autonomous systems on the land domain. By fielding a weaponised UGV within this high-intensity, multinational framework, Türkiye demonstrates how land forces intend to integrate unmanned platforms into combined-arms operations. This development was detailed in NATO’s article “Innovative Technologies put to the test during STEADFAST DART 26” published on the Joint Force Command Brunssum website, which highlighted ASLAN as one of the exercise’s emblematic innovative technologies.
Türkiye deployed its ASLAN combat unmanned ground vehicle during NATO’s STEADFAST DART 26 exercise in Germany, showcasing brigade-level integration of armed robotics into multinational high-intensity operations (Picture Source: NATO / Avionot)
Within this framework, the Turkish 66th Mechanised Brigade, serving as part of the Allied Reaction Force, employed ASLAN during land manoeuvres and live demonstrations at the Bergen Training Area in northern Germany. The brigade has been operating the system for around three years, indicating that ASLAN is already embedded in existing concepts of operation rather than being limited to experimental units. In Germany, the vehicle is being used in conjunction with mechanised infantry, armoured vehicles and supporting fires to validate procedures for integrating a UGV into high-tempo, combined-arms manoeuvres under NATO command. For Allied planners, this offers a realistic picture of how a national unmanned ground capability can be plugged into a multinational force package while maintaining interoperability and robust command and control.
Designed, developed and manufactured by ASELSAN, ASLAN is a Medium Class Level 1 unmanned ground vehicle designed primarily for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition missions, with the ability to carry a wide range of payloads. The compact tracked platform measures roughly 1.85 metres in length, 1.35 metres in width and about 1.45 metres in height, with a combat weight of up to 750 kilograms including mission equipment. It can be operated by remote control or in autonomous modes, enabling it to conduct patrols, approach suspected enemy positions or provide close support in urban environments while keeping operators under cover. Within Turkish doctrinal thinking, ASLAN is conceived as a forward robotic scout and remote weapon carrier that extends the brigade’s situational awareness and firepower into high-risk areas where human exposure would be unacceptable.
The platform’s modular architecture is central to this concept and allows a wide range of configurations. ASLAN can be fitted with the SARP-L stabilised remote weapon system armed with a 7.62×51 mm NATO FN MAG machine gun, providing day and night engagement of stationary or moving targets with “shoot-on-the-move” capability and automatic target tracking. Integrated electro-optical and thermal imaging sensors in the weapon station support observation and engagement at typical infantry combat distances, while a surveillance mast and panoramic camera suite can provide 360-degree situational awareness for overwatch or perimeter defence tasks. Additional payload options include a tethered drone system for elevated, long-endurance ISR, a long-range acoustic system for hailing and non-lethal effects, and a laser-guided mini-missile system, such as the METE precision munition, giving the UGV a short-range, line-of-sight strike capability against point targets like light vehicles, firing positions or weapon emplacements. This modularity allows the same base vehicle to be configured for reconnaissance, force protection, precision fire support or public-order missions, depending on operational requirements.
From a mobility and survivability standpoint, ASLAN combines a low silhouette with tracked running gear and electric propulsion, providing quiet movement and the ability to negotiate complex terrain. It reaches speeds of around 10 km/h and is designed to cross gaps of approximately 60 centimetres, climb longitudinal slopes of up to 60%, traverse lateral slopes of 30% and overcome vertical obstacles of around 20 centimetres, while fording water obstacles to a depth of about 40 centimetres. The platform’s endurance on internal power is reported to be up to seven hours, enabling sustained missions without frequent resupply. Front and rear LED headlights, infrared illumination, forward and rear driving cameras and a 360-degree surround-view system support day and night driving in confined or cluttered spaces. Two-way audio, with an onboard microphone and loudspeaker, allows remote interaction with friendly troops or civilians. Command and control are provided through a portable operator control unit that can be connected by cable or operated wirelessly at typical ranges of around 1.2 kilometres, with the ability to exploit 4G/LTE networks where available. ASLAN also incorporates functions such as sensor fusion, passable-area detection and dynamic path planning, allowing it to maintain movement and avoid obstacles autonomously, including during short-term GNSS or communications interruptions, which is critical for operations in contested electromagnetic environments.
Operationally, ASLAN’s introduction into Turkish service predates its NATO-level deployment. After factory and field trials, the system was first presented at national technology and defence exhibitions before, according to open sources, being deployed for border security missions. In those roles, the UGV has reportedly been used along Türkiye’s frontiers to patrol, detect and warn irregular movements, sometimes equipped with a long-range acoustic system to deliver instructions or warnings without placing personnel in harm’s way. NATO’s indication that the 66th Mechanised Brigade has been using ASLAN for about three years suggests that the platform has already been woven into standard tactics, techniques and procedures, including integration into mechanised company and battalion-level operations. During STEADFAST DART 26, these procedures are being tested and refined in a multinational environment, where ASLAN must operate in concert with allied reconnaissance assets, artillery, aviation and electronic warfare capabilities.
For NATO, the tactical significance of fielding ASLAN during STEADFAST DART 26 lies in the normalisation of armed unmanned ground systems within combined-arms manoeuvre, beyond traditional explosive ordnance disposal and logistics roles. The exercise scenarios stress rapid deployment, cross-border movement and high-tempo operations under a near-peer threat, forcing commanders and staffs to address concrete questions of connectivity, deconfliction and integration of robotic sensor feeds into multinational command-and-control networks. In practical terms, ASLAN can be sent ahead of infantry units to probe suspected enemy positions, detect ambushes, and provide immediate suppressive or precision fire through its remote weapon station or mini-missile payloads, reducing the exposure of dismounted soldiers during tasks such as route clearance, strongpoint reduction or urban breaching. In a broader strategic perspective, NATO’s decision to highlight ASLAN among the “innovative technologies” at STEADFAST DART 26 underlines the Alliance’s recognition that land robotics, inspired in part by the mass employment of unmanned systems in recent conflicts, is becoming a core component of future force structures.
The presence of ASLAN on German training grounds under NATO command goes well beyond a simple technology demonstration: it illustrates the transition of unmanned ground platforms from experimental projects to routine tools within high-readiness manoeuvre units. As STEADFAST DART 26 progresses, feedback on ASLAN’s performance in joint and combined scenarios, from reconnaissance and fire support to border-style security tasks, will inform future NATO concepts for integrating unmanned ground systems, influencing doctrine, interoperability standards and national procurement priorities. In a security environment characterised by rapid technological change and the imperative to reduce human exposure in high-threat environments, the Turkish ASLAN UGV provides a concrete glimpse of how NATO land forces may increasingly manoeuvre and fight with robotic systems at the forefront of the battlefield in the coming decade.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.