Turkish marine engineering company Anadolu Robotik has begun sea trials of its Arida-M counter-unmanned surface vehicle.
The achievement marks the completion of the drone’s initial development stage following its launch for potential customers at a 2024 defense exhibit in Istanbul.
Anadolu’s announcement incorporated documentation showing the Arida-M’s launch from a dock, with the platform moving at high speed.
“We are continuing sea trials with ARİDA-M, Türkiye’s first fully indigenous autonomous USV, and preparing for the demonstration phase of Phase-1,” the Gölcük-based firm said on X.
“With a speed capability exceeding 50 knots (93 kilometers/58 miles per hour), full autonomous mission functionality, and designed for the security of the Blue Homeland, ARİDA-M is ushering in a new era.”
The Arida-M Autonomous Boat
Assembled in partnership with Bilişim Vadisi-headquartered Sekizaltmış Technology, the Arida-M is an autonomous mission and patrol boat designed for surface support activities.
It uses Anadolu’s “Muhafız” technology, which combines sensors and communication solutions to detect potential hostile kamikaze systems targeting allied vehicles and maritime assets.
The boat measures 5 meters long (16 feet), has a width of 1.3 meters (4.2 feet), and a payload capacity of 30 kilograms (66 pounds).
The platform’s base model, the Arida, has a larger hull and could assist in search and rescue, cargo transport, scientific research, mapping, and surveillance.
It can carry equipment weighing up to 670 kilograms (1,477 pounds) and has a communication and control range of 40 kilometers (25 miles).
Addressing ‘Vulnerabilities’
Ahmet Musab Yıldız, CEO at Anadolu Robotik, explained in an interview with Naval News that the Arida-M’s conceptualization was influenced by lessons observed from international conflicts, where existing counter-USVs could only scan and neutralize larger enemy platforms.
“When we began analyzing the effectiveness of these systems, we concluded that their small size and high speed were key factors that made them difficult to detect and neutralize,” Yıldız stated.
“Since 2015, the emergence of kamikaze USVs as an asymmetric threat on the battlefield has revealed the vulnerabilities of existing systems. The most evident examples of this have been observed in the Russia-Ukraine war and in the Red Sea, where the Houthis have targeted merchant vessels trading with or transporting goods to Israel using kamikaze USVs.”