Following the contract for 40 naval units for the Italian Coast Guard, the collaboration between the Italy-based shipyard and the Turkish boat builder is expanding to the development of Unmanned and Hybrid Surface Vessel platforms for the Guardia di Finanza, and other government institutions. Production will take place at the Piloda facilities.
Havelsan press release
Piloda Shipyard, through its Piloda Defence division, Havelsan and VN Maritime Technologies have signed a strategic framework cooperation agreement for the development, marketing, integration and delivery of hybrid surface vessels, configurable for manned, unmanned or mixed-mode operations. The platforms will be manufactured at Piloda and VN Maritime facilities, with operational sites in Naples, Brindisi and Torre Annunziata.
The agreement represents the evolution of an already established industrial cooperation. In 2025, Piloda Shipyard and VN Maritime launched the joint production of 40 fifteen-metre vessels for the General Command of the Port Captaincies Corps – Coast Guard, a program worth a total of €159.2 million. With the new agreement, the partnership extends to hybrid and unmanned platforms, identifying, the Guardia di Finanza and other Italian government and security institutions as potential end users.
Hybrid vessels: one platform, three operational modes
The defining element of the agreement lies in the hybrid vessel concept: a naval unit capable of operating manned, unmanned or in mixed mode, requiring no structural modifications to switch between configurations.
Hybrid platforms deliver true multi-role capability, enabling operations across the entire mission spectrum: from autonomous surveillance and coordinated swarm missions to fully manned operations including patrol, search and rescue, transport, and boarding activities.
The hybrid configuration also addresses a concrete regulatory need. In the absence of consolidated international legislation for fully autonomous vessels, the hybrid design enables immediate operational deployment by Italian institutions, with the option of embarking personnel when required by circumstances or regulations. A functioning prototype has already been presented and tested by institutional delegations at the international Seafuture 2025 exhibition, held at the Naval Base of La Spezia’s Military Arsenal.
Hull technology: stability and operational continuity
The platforms are based on the patented ÖK Hull technology, licensed from Icelandic company Rafnar and further developed by VN Maritime. The hull is designed to reduce slamming impact by up to 95% compared to conventional V-hull forms. This translates into direct operational advantages: longer vessel lifespan, reduced maintenance requirements and greater comfort for personnel and onboard equipment.
Hull stability also has a decisive impact on onboard system performance. Underwater sensors remain submerged, ensuring continuous data flow; weapon and surface surveillance systems – cameras, searchlights, electro-optical sensors – require less stabilization, eliminating the need for additional stabilizers.
The role of the three partners and the focus on Italy
The agreement assigns each partner a defined role. Piloda Defence serves as the production hub and system integrator on Italian territory, providing its shipyard infrastructure and the expertise gained through over fifteen years of technical support to Coast Guard and Guardia di Finanza units.
HAVELSAN is a global technology company delivering advanced defense software solutions alongside a strong portfolio in autonomous systems. Through its “Digital Troops” concept, HAVELSAN has developed unmanned air, land and naval platforms, many of which have been actively deployed within the Turkish Armed Forces, providing valuable operational experience. Building on this background, HAVELSAN aims to extend its autonomous capabilities into joint production and industrial cooperation models, supporting the development of next-generation hybrid maritime platforms.
VN Maritime Technologies provides the naval design and high-performance hull technology, with the ability to adapt the design to the different operational requirements of Italian institutions.
Objectives and outlook
The three partners are targeting the signing of the first purchase order in the first half of 2026. The cooperation provides for the development of variants of different sizes and configurations, with applications ranging from defence and maritime security to environmental monitoring, including for agencies responsible for marine environmental protection. The objective is to strengthen the fleets of Italian institutions with next-generation platforms manufactured on national territory.
“We are not just building vessels: we are investing in an industrial model that brings advanced skills and technologies to Italy, and specifically to our production sites. The partnership with VN Maritime enables us to accelerate the development of increasingly sophisticated platforms, including unmanned solutions, while keeping our roots firmly in the manufacturing quality that has distinguished us for over a century. Although these are pre-commercial products, we are confident that the robustness of the projects and the experience gained in over 15 years of technical support to military units will enable us to effectively tackle production at scale. Piloda Defence is the first entity with which Havelsan has signed an exclusive agreement: this confirms the strength of our trajectory in the institutional defence sector.”
Donato Di Palo, CEO of Piloda Shipyard and Co-Founder of Piloda Group
