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NATO member Turkey is enhancing its naval defense capabilities with the development of the Arida-M, an advanced unmanned surface vessel (USV), in response to increasing maritime threats and a global surge in USV technology investment.
Why It Matters
Turkey’s development of naval drones—prominently used during the Russia-Ukraine war—highlights how it is independently producing and innovating a layered defense system. This positions Turkey among leading global producers, particularly in USVs designed to counter kamikaze drone threats while retaining offensive capabilities.
The new unmanned surface vessel (USV) is designed to neutralize fast-moving, explosive payloads carried by kamikaze naval drones, as seen in Russian losses in the Black Sea and Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. The Arida-M system, developed by Anadolu Robotik Technology, began sea trials in May 2025.
What To Know
Unveiled in Istanbul in 2024, Turkey’s Arida-M USV autonomously detects and intercepts fast-moving kamikaze naval drones before they can reach warships or ports. The system is intended to enhance Turkey’s defense against low-cost, high-impact attacks.
Turkey has one of NATO’s largest USV programs and is emerging as a strong competitor in the field. Its Marlin SDA naval drone has participated in NATO exercises, and it signed its first export contract for the ULAQ series with Qatar in 2024.
North America was the largest player in the unmanned surface vehicle market in 2024, followed by China, Japan, South Korea, and India. China commissioned over 200 USVs in recent years, while Japan and South Korea developed USVs for commercial applications such as offshore energy exploration and maritime logistics.
While American forces have largely contained Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, their greatest concern is China, as the People’s Liberation Army Navy deploys drone carriers and conducts hybrid manned-unmanned tactics simulations, according to a U.S. Navy report from April 2025.
What People Are Saying
Brandon J. Weichert, senior national security editor at The National Interest, wrote on Sunday: “With ongoing tests and phased rollouts, the Arida-M system promises to redefine naval security in a world totally upended by asymmetrical forms of warfare.”
Ahmet Musab Yildiz, CEO and Co-Founder of Anadolu Robotik, told Naval News in May 2025: “Since 2015, kamikaze USVs have emerged as an asymmetric threat on the battlefield. Their small size and high speed make them difficult to detect and neutralize. We developed the Arida-M system using existing capabilities because we concluded that these factors were key vulnerabilities.”
What Happens Next
Turkey plans operational deployment of the Arida USV by 2026.
