Greece and Ukraine Agree on Joint Naval Drone Production
Greece and Ukraine reportedly agreed to co-produce naval drones or Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) in Greek shipyards.
This was one of the most significant outcomes of the meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Athens last Sunday. Although the final agreement was kept discreet, intensive, high-level discussions between Athens and Kyiv had been ongoing for several months, the Greek daily Kathimerini reports.
According to Greek media, a production line will be established in a Greek shipyard, likely the Skaramagas Shipyards, which has the necessary capacity. A portion of the USV production will be supplied to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, while another section will be used to enhance the Greek arsenal.
Greek companies will manufacture electronic and optical systems, sensors, and, if required, explosive payloads for the USVs. The resulting Greek-Ukrainian USV will be an improved version of existing models already battle-tested in Ukraine. Ukraine currently produces fifteen different types of USVs. Should the USV project progress successfully, Athens has already discussed expanding cooperation with Kyiv into the field of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs).
Funding is secured through existing provisions in the Greek Armed Forces’ Long-term Defense Equipment Planning (2025-2036). Athens and Kyiv will also attempt to integrate the plan into SAFE regulation loans, as Ukraine is an eligible third country for favorable loans related to the co-production of weapon systems with EU member states.
Naval drones: Strategic benefits for Greece
For Athens, this cooperation with Kyiv offers three key strategic advantages:
- Tested technology: Access to technology that has been proven successful in real-world combat conditions. Ukraine has effectively contained the Russian Black Sea Fleet using a combination of USVs and coastal missile batteries.
- Technological acceleration: This accelerates the use of Greek innovative technologies in a field with intense global competition.
- Closing the gap with Turkey: This also helps close the capabilities gap with Turkey, which has been developing USVs since 2021 and continues to add new types to its fleet.
The co-production was referenced in a seven-point joint statement by Mitsotakis and Zelensky, which noted an agreement to “deepen defense cooperation focusing on strengthening maritime security, including cooperation in the development and use of USVs … and enhanced exchange of information on maritime threats.”
Ukrainian USV tactics and performance
The first USV, the Glider (or Mikola), was used in an attack against the Russian frigate Admiral Makarov in October 2022. The Mamai type offers a larger operational radius. The Magura USV is the main type currently in use, most famously employed in the July 2023 attack on the Kerch Bridge in Crimea.
The Sea Baby USV, also used in the Kerch Bridge attack, features Starlink satellite antennas and can carry various payloads, including Multiple Rocket Launchers (MLRS), flamethrowers, electronic warfare systems, FPV drone carriers, an 860-kilogram (1,896-pound) missile warhead, and a dozen UAVs.
USV missions often involve lighter USVs performing silent reconnaissance. The main attack group follows, typically consisting of six to eight vessels. These groups are usually mixed, containing one or two scouts, two kamikaze USVs, two armed with machine guns or SAMs, one with rockets or anti-ship missiles, and one carrying kamikaze FPV drones.
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