A US-made AEGIR unmanned boat has been discovered off the coast of Turkey
An AEGIR-W unmanned surface vehicle washed ashore on the Black Sea coast in the province of Ordu in north-eastern Turkey on 21 March 2026. Images of the vessel that appeared online allowed it to be identified as a product of the American company Sierra Nevada Corporation, reports The Aviationist.
Following reports from local residents, gendarmerie units arrived at the scene. The area around the object was cordoned off and security measures were put in place. Experts from the S.A.S. Group Command unit in Istanbul inspected the vessel and determined that it remained operational and had ammunition on board.
The drone was then towed approximately four kilometres offshore and destroyed by a controlled explosion. Residents of nearby homes were evacuated during the operation.
The circumstances under which the drone ended up on the Turkish coast remain unknown. Speculation has been put forward regarding its loss during testing or its use in operations in Ukraine, but this information has not been confirmed. There is also no confirmation regarding the involvement of the Russian military in the drone’s destruction.
The AEGIR-W is not included in the list of officially confirmed arms supplies to Ukraine. At the same time, it is known that Ukraine is actively using unmanned surface vehicles in the war against Russia.
According to the manufacturer, the AEGIR-W is part of a family of multi-purpose unmanned systems designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, electronic warfare, strike operations and autonomous resupply. The vessel is less than 10 metres long, has a range exceeding 500 nautical miles, and a speed of over 25 knots. It can carry up to 300 kilograms of payload and operate both autonomously and under operator control.
Other vessels in this series include the smaller AEGIR-F and the larger AEGIR-H. In particular, the AEGIR-F is designed for single-use kinetic missions.
