Azerbaijan tests new navy drones

Azerbaijan has tested two newly developed unmanned surface vessels (USVs), the SALVO armed USV and KAYRA kamikaze USV, during a visit by President Ilham Aliyev to the Azerbaijani Navy.

Aliyev, who also serves as Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva were briefed on the vessels’ roles and tactical and technical specifications during their visit to the Navy headquarters.

The vessels were developed at a joint production facility operated by the Defense Ministry’s MIRAS Military-Industrial Company and DEARSAN Shipyard. According to the Azerbaijani government, the facility uses advanced technologies for the production of the unmanned systems.

Following the briefing, Aliyev and Aliyeva reviewed progress at the production facility, where the vessels are being manufactured.

The SALVO and KAYRA USVs were subsequently subjected to practical testing. The government did not provide further details on the nature of the tests or disclose the vessels’ specific performance specifications.

SALVO is described as an armed unmanned surface vessel, while KAYRA is identified as a kamikaze unmanned surface vessel, indicating that the two systems are intended for different operational roles.

SALVO is a 14.79-meter platform developed by Turkish shipbuilder DEARSAN for a range of naval and maritime security missions.

According to DEARSAN, this USV has a beam of 3.85 meters and a draft of 0.75 meters. The aluminum-hulled vessel has a maximum speed of more than 35 knots and a maximum continuous speed of more than 25 knots, with a range of up to 400 nautical miles.

The company lists surface warfare and engagement with asymmetric threats among SALVO's missions. The platform is also intended for operations in littoral and coastal waters, surveillance and interception, border patrol and coast guard duties. DEARSAN additionally identifies anti-smuggling and anti-drug trafficking missions, as well as support for search and rescue operations.

On the other hand, KAYRA is 7.6 meters long with a 2.6-meter beam and a composite hull. The vessel has a maximum continuous speed of more than 45 knots and a maximum speed exceeding 60 knots, with a range of 300 nautical miles.

The platform is designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as the engagement and destruction of surface targets such as enemy ships and patrol boats. The USV is also capable of attacks against naval bases, ports and critical coastal infrastructure.