Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited naval headquarters as part of a strategy to bolster the nation's maritime defense capabilities. During the visit, Aliyev met with Dearsan Shipyard owner Aziz Yıldırım to inspect the domestically and jointly constructed next-generation maritime platforms.
High-level talks focused on the technical capabilities of the SALVO armed USV (AUSV) and KAYRA kamikaze USV, produced via Turkish-Azerbaijani cooperation. Officials briefed the head of state on the current status of the projects and their operational potential within the Caspian basin.
Redefining Caspian Security Through Indigenous Production
Shifting security dynamics in the Black Sea and Caspian basins in recent years have driven littoral states to accelerate investments in asymmetric warfare and unmanned marine systems. Azerbaijan's integration of projects carried out in partnership with Dearsan into its own industrial infrastructure demonstrates a clear determination to minimize foreign reliance in maritime defense.
With this strategic move, Baku is transitioning from a mere military technology buyer into a regional producer and developer. The domestic production of these systems, capable of multi-role missions including intelligence gathering, coastal defense, surface warfare, and critical infrastructure protection, will directly influence the deterrence balance in the Caspian Sea.
Technical Specifications: SALVO and KAYRA Platforms
Developed natively by Dearsan, the SALVO armed USV ranks among the fastest and most operationally flexible platforms in its class. With an overall length of 14.79 meters, a beam of 3.83 meters, and a draft of 0.75 meters, SALVO can reach maximum speeds of 45 to 60 knots depending on the chosen diesel engine and waterjet configuration.
The platform fires Roketsan-produced Cirit 70mm Laser-Guided Missiles and UMTAS/L-UMTAS guided missiles via the YALMAN/KMC weapon system. Equipped with an Aselsan 12.7 mm stabilized weapon turret (STAMP), the vessel maintains high accuracy against moving targets. Managed from land-based mobile command centers or headquarters, SALVO can be launched and recovered from major floating platforms, including frigates, corvettes, patrol boats, and amphibious assault ships.
Adding to its USV family, Dearsan designed the KAYRA concept beyond traditional patrol and surveillance missions, shaping it as a kamikaze USV. Engineered as a deterrent strike element for asymmetric naval combat, KAYRA features an explosive payload directed straight at targets. Featuring a low radar cross-section, such kamikaze platforms are developed to play critical roles in protecting strategic ports, executing cost-effective swarming attacks against high-tonnage combatants on the open sea, and controlling narrow waterways.
Deepening Turkish-Azerbaijani Defense Ties
Dearsan's blending of traditional shipbuilding experience with autonomous systems maximizes the competitive power of both the company and the Turkish defense industry in international markets. Entering the inventories of friendly and allied nations, these unmanned systems cement Turkey's global export success in the USV league.
Company officials report that research and development efforts on artificial intelligence and swarming algorithms continue uninterrupted to ensure SALVO and KAYRA platforms can execute intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and surface warfare missions with fully autonomous capabilities. This step between the two nations proves that the era of unmanned and autonomous systems has officially begun in the regional security architecture.