As part of its arms buildup in response to Turkish threats, Greece is considering procuring at least 10 of the Blue Whale unmanned submarine manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, Greek website “Epikaira” reports.
Greece is interested in strengthening its capabilities to monitor and protect its maritime borders, over which it has disputes with Turkey. Unlike Greece, Turkey refused to sign the Continental Shelf Convention and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), because it does not accept the international community’s prevailing consensus that islands are independent parts of the mainland that are not connected to the mainland. In other words, every island – Greek in this case – has an independent continental shelf, as a result of which it is entitled to territorial waters of 12 nautical miles.
Turkey sees some Greek islands as an extension of Anatolia. According to Turkey, earthquakes have caused water to enter between the mainland and the islands, including Cyprus, therefore all the islands were derived from the mainland and are not entitled to territorial; waters of 12 nautical miles. The lack of agreement on this issue led to a “compromise” between Turkey and Greece, and today each island is entitled to six nautical miles. But due to this tense situation, “Epikaira” reports that the Greek Navy is considering procuring at least 10 Blue Whale autonomous underwater vehicles.
This unmanned submarine is the product of a collaboration between IAI and German company Atlas Electronics. Blue Whale enables intelligence gathering via a telescopic mast that emerges from the water during diving (similar to a submarine periscope), on which radar and electro-optical systems are installed to detect targets at sea and on shore. Using the satellite communication antennas on the mast, the information collected is transmitted in real time to designated command posts, which can be located at sea and on shore.
Can patrol for at least 10 days
“Epikaira” reports that Blue Whale’s has a length of 10.9 meters, diameter of 1.12 meters, and weighs 5.5 tons. It is electrically powered, can reach a speed of seven knots and is capable of patrolling for at least ten days. Submarine detection and acoustic intelligence gathering is carried out using a tens of meters long sonar, which is installed on both sides of the submarine. According to the VMR Research Institute, the market for military unmanned submarines is expected to grow from about $3.4 billion in 2021 to about $8 billion in 2030. According to a report on the ZM website last July, Blue Whale is intended to be a significant weapon against Iran, which is expanding its maritime activities.
“Epikaira” says the Blue Whale version that IAI is offering Greek officials includes adaptation to the operational characteristics of the Aegean Sea. Blue Whale could fit well into the Greek defense system’s armament plan for the next 12 years, because it includes the need for unmanned underwater vehicles to deal with the Turkish threat. The Turkish navy is considered the strongest in the Eastern Mediterranean, and according to the “Global Firepower” ranking, it is ranked 17th in the world, compared with Israel’s 45th place.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on April 29, 2025.
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