Kazakhstan to build 125 billion tenge shipyard for maritime drones

The security architecture of the Caspian Sea is shifting as littoral states integrate unmanned surface vessels (USVs) into their naval doctrines. The transition reflects a broader trend of applying lessons from the Black Sea and other modern conflicts to the protection of energy corridors and maritime borders.

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Caspian Flotilla, Russian Navy

Baku's Localized Arsenal

In September, Azerbaijan unveiled two new unmanned platforms: the SALVO armed boat and the KAYRA kamikaze drone. Developed locally with Turkish technical assistance, these systems signal a move beyond mere procurement toward the localization of production and technology transfer.

According to Fuad Shahbazov of the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), these platforms are designed for patrolling, reconnaissance, and the defense of oil and gas infrastructure. This deployment is a response to the increasing vulnerability of Caspian assets, evidenced by strikes on Russian and Iranian coastal installations and the proven efficiency of low-cost drones against larger naval fleets in Ukraine.

Kazakhstan: From Exercises to Shipbuilding

Kazakhstan is integrating into this new security framework through tactical cooperation and infrastructure development. Since 2023, Astana and Baku have conducted a series of joint exercises-including Khazri-2023, Caspian Breeze-2025, and Khazri-2025-specifically focusing on the protection of the Middle Corridor and countering mine threats and sabotage.

The shift from training to physical capability is manifesting in the construction of a new shipyard on the Kazakh coast. Developed by Turkey's YDA Group with an investment of at least 125 billion tenge, the facility will move beyond civil shipbuilding to produce unmanned surface vehicles, providing Kazakhstan with a domestic base for maritime drone technology.

Systemic Change

While Baku continues to maintain traditional naval forces, the integration of USVs alters the physical constraints of Caspian security. The sea is no longer an isolated basin; it has become a space where the defense of strategic transport routes depends on the ability to deploy asymmetric, unmanned systems to protect fixed infrastructure from unconventional threats.