While the 17th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2025) in Istanbul primarily focuses on military technologies, it also highlights Türkiye’s growing strength in civilian and industrial innovation. One of the standout technologies this year is the Kaşif XL, the newest and most advanced member of ARMELSAN’s indigenous underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) series. Designed to support Türkiye’s expanding offshore drilling missions, the Kaşif XL embodies the technological evolution gained through years of deep-sea experience in the Black Sea.

Can Emre Bakım, General Manager of ARMELSAN, recalled that Türkiye’s deep-sea drilling operations began in 2020, which also sparked the need for an indigenous underwater robot. He described such systems as the “eyes, ears, and hands of drilling vessels.” Initially, the original Kaşif model was developed for the Black Sea, where depths rarely exceeded 3,000 meters and around 200 horsepower was sufficient. However, with new agreements signed for drilling operations in Somalia, Libya, and Pakistan, ARMELSAN developed a more powerful and capable system — Kaşif XL, equipped with eight thrusters, delivering 250 horsepower, and capable of diving to 4,000 meters.

The Kaşif XL provides enhanced maneuverability, high-definition imaging, and precision manipulation for deep-sea intervention tasks, including wellhead inspections, maintenance operations, and subsea infrastructure monitoring. Beyond its operational performance, the fully indigenous design ensures supply security, cost efficiency, and customization flexibility for different offshore environments. As Bakım noted, Türkiye’s ownership of the world’s fourth-largest drilling fleet positions it strongly for both domestic deployment and potential export of subsea services and technology.

Making its public debut at IDEF 2025, Kaşif XL represents a major step forward in Türkiye’s “Blue Homeland” (Mavi Vatan) vision — expanding technological independence below the waves. By integrating operational lessons from the Black Sea into this new platform, Türkiye aims to achieve greater continuity and autonomy in its energy exploration missions abroad, reducing dependence on foreign technology while enhancing the speed and safety of offshore operations.