Turkey targets Italian market with strategic partnership on USVs and hybrid platforms
The Italian Navy’s FREMM EVO vessels, based on the Carlo Bergamini, will feature capabilities to enable the management of uncrewed systems. (Photo: Italian Navy)
Havelsan, VN Maritime and Piloda Defence will collaborate to develop and integrate a range of maritime solutions with a view to secure a first procurement contract in Italy in the first half of this year.
Turkey’s Havelsan and VN Maritime have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Italy’s Piloda Defence to deliver next-generation naval solutions that align with the operational needs of the Mediterranean region, with uncrewed and hybrid platforms at the heart of the deal.
A first procurement contract in Italy through the partnership is being targeted in the first half of 2026, with the parties aiming at a long-term collaboration making use of Turkey’s technological expertise along with Italy’s industrial infrastructure and European ties.
Under the agreement, Turkish software and systems company Havelsan will provide autonomous control systems, mission management software, AI-enabled
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Japan’s first warship sale opens door to future exports but comes with strings attached]()
Japan’s first warship sale opens door to future exports but comes with strings attached
Australia’s selection of an upgraded Mogami-class frigate marks Japan’s first-ever export of a major surface combatant. With an ambitious 2029 delivery target, the deal could open the door to further naval exports – but inexperience and geopolitical friction with China loom large.
-
![Thinning Arctic ice reveals naval capability gaps and new opportunities]()
Thinning Arctic ice reveals naval capability gaps and new opportunities
As sea ice extent hits a record low and geopolitical tensions increase in the High North, navies are contending to adopt the technologies needed to operate beneath an increasingly unpredictable Arctic Ocean.
-
![Lockheed Martin confirms 2029 target date for US Navy’s Aegis/PAC-3 MSE integration]()
Lockheed Martin confirms 2029 target date for US Navy’s Aegis/PAC-3 MSE integration
Enabling Aegis-equipped vessels to launch PAC-3 MSE interceptors will give the USN more options to engage highly manoeuvrable hypersonic missiles – including the ones China has been developing.
