A new unmanned surface vessel, designed and built in Greece, capable of carrying out surveillance and reconnaissance missions as well as launching attacks against enemy ships, was unveiled by the Hellenic Navy. It is the “Pyropolitis,” a system developed entirely by Greek personnel and intended to enhance the Fleet’s operational capabilities, with the ultimate goal of mass-producing it.

The “Pyrpolitis” was unveiled on Tuesday (October 13) at the Skaramanga Naval Fortress, during the inauguration of the Joint Training Center for Unmanned and Autonomous Maritime Systems, in the presence of Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias.

A distinctive feature of the new vessel is that it combines capabilities for gathering intelligence and monitoring maritime areas with the ability to engage surface targets. At the same time, it features built-in autonomous operation capabilities, which are in the final stages of testing.

At the inauguration of the Joint School for Unmanned and Autonomous Maritime Systems. This is a further step that creates enormous opportunities for our Navy in the Archipelago, with Autonomous Systems that can offer unlimited capabilities in surveillance and reconnaissance, port protection, mine warfare, and infrastructure security.

This new Navy, equipped with modern platforms, will be able to protect not only our sovereignty and sovereign rights, but also the undersea energy and communications networks, which are equally essential to the security of the Fatherland.

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(from my remarks at the inauguration ceremony for the Joint Training Center for Unmanned and Autonomous Maritime Systems at the Hellenic Navy’s PALASKAS Training Center)

#HellenicNavy

— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) October 13, 2026

According to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense, the “Pyropolitis” is a project of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, with its design, development, and construction carried out entirely by the Hellenic Navy.

The “Pyropolitis,” as reported by ERT, is just five meters long and can exceed 40 knots, or 74 kilometers per hour. It has a long operational range, although specific details regarding its operational range or the duration of its missions have not been made public. What sets this vessel apart from a conventional unmanned surveillance craft is its ability to carry out one-way attack missions, known as “One Way Attack.” In these missions, the vessel itself becomes a means of attacking the target by carrying an explosive payload.

How the “Pyropolitis” Can Be Used

The new Greek USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) is designed to carry out various types of missions at sea without requiring a crew on board the vessel itself. The capabilities presented include intelligence gathering, maritime surveillance, and target identification.

However, the aspect that makes the program particularly interesting from an operational standpoint is its potential for use in offensive operations. As Nikos Dendias noted during the presentation, this is a vessel that can “gather intelligence, conduct surveillance, identify targets, and operate—as its name suggests—as a vessel capable of attacking moving targets.”

Nikos Dendias pointed out that a portion of the Fleet’s surveillance and patrol missions could be transferred to unmanned and autonomous systems, significantly reducing the number of days personnel are required to spend at sea.

Why It Was Named “Pyropolitis”

The choice of name is no coincidence, as it links the new Greek weapon system to the fire ships used during the Revolution of 1821. At that time, Greek sailors used small boats loaded with flammable materials and explosives to attack the larger warships of the Ottoman fleet.

The fire ships would approach their target, ram the fire ship into the enemy vessel, and, after activating the ignition mechanism, retreat in a small boat. Two centuries later, the same basic concept of using a small vessel to attack a larger ship has taken on a technologically different form.

The modern “fire ship” does not require a crew on board and can be guided toward its target using its onboard control and navigation systems.

Source: Proto Thema