Sea drones from Aselsan: Kiliç and Tufan debut at SAHA 2026 in Istanbul

Aselsan presented a new generation of unmanned maritime systems at the SAHA 2026 International Defence Aerospace and Space Industry Exhibition. These sea drones include the Kiliç family of autonomous underwater attack platforms and the Tufan unmanned surface vehicle. Both were developed to support autonomous, distributed and asymmetric operations above and below the water.

The new maritime solutions were unveiled at a launch event during SAHA 2026 in Istanbul. The company thereby underlined its focus on expanding maritime capabilities in increasingly complex, multidimensional operating environments.

Sea drones for both domains: Kiliç and Tufan

Below the water, Aselsan showed the Kiliç family in several variants. These autonomous attack platforms are designed for asymmetric warfare and covert operations. The systems combine transportability, a low signature and high-precision target engagement, and can be used flexibly for a broad spectrum of mission scenarios. Thanks to advanced sensor, communication and navigation capabilities, the Kiliç family operates either autonomously or in coordination as a swarm, thereby contributing to multidimensional maritime operations.

For the surface domain there is the Tufan unmanned vehicle, designed for offensive operations as well as for reconnaissance and surveillance missions and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The platform combines high speed and manoeuvrability with advanced autonomy, allowing it to be used effectively in both coastal and open-sea areas. Its swarm-capable architecture enables coordinated operations and simultaneous tasks such as reconnaissance, surveillance and precise target engagement.

Ahmet Akyol, President and CEO of Aselsan, said on the presentation of the new maritime systems:

Securing beyond the boundaries of the maritime domain requires a new level of autonomy, integration and operational flexibility. As maritime security becomes increasingly important in today's operating environment, we are using our geographical advantages to expand our capabilities at sea and are presenting our new generation of unmanned maritime systems, designed for the changing requirements of modern maritime operations.— Ahmet Akyol, President and CEO of Aselsan