Sentiq Defence has launched operations in Bordighera, Italy, as an integrator of autonomous and remotely operated maritime systems for defense, security, and blue economy markets.
From Mine Warfare to Maritime Integration
The company is founded and led by Antonio J. Belfiore, a retired Italian Navy Commander with 25 years of active service who specialized in mine warfare and held operational and staff roles nationally and internationally. After his naval career, Belfiore worked in business development and sales for defense and subsea technology firms across Denmark and the United Kingdom. He launched his own strategic consultancy in 2025 before conceiving Sentiq in 2026.
Demand for underwater and maritime surveillance extends well beyond traditional navies. Energy operators, port authorities, telecommunications companies, and coast guards face the shared challenge of monitoring vast maritime zones with limited resources. Autonomous systems allow smaller teams to cover wider areas for longer periods, reducing both operational risks and costs. However, the market remains fragmented, with platforms, sensors, and software sourced from different suppliers that carry distinct interfaces, support arrangements, and export constraints.
Sentiq aims to bridge that divide by adapting and integrating commercial-off-the-shelf platforms and payloads to match specific customer missions. The firm delivers turnkey systems, incorporating training and through-life logistic support via a single Italian point of contact.
“I spent most of my career at sea, in mine warfare, and later training the people who do this job,” Antonio J. Belfiore, founder and CEO of Sentiq Defence, said. “I learned that technology rarely fails on its own: what fails is integration. Sentiq was created to give anyone who works at sea – navies, coast guards, port and energy operators – full control of their domain: mission-focused solutions developed with our international partners, tailored here in Italy and supported by people who have done the job themselves. That, for us, is why we operate under the principle of ‘Command your space’.”
Surface, Underwater, and Air Portfolios
Sentiq’s operational scope covers three domains. Above the water, its modular USV lineup—the SQ family—can be tailored for environmental monitoring, hydrographic surveys, persistent surveillance, and offshore asset inspections, alongside military tasks like anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and mine countermeasures (MCM).
To safeguard coastlines, critical infrastructure, ports, and naval bases, the firm supplies inspection-class ROVs alongside intruder detection sonars available in long-range (SQ UDS), portable (SQ PDDS), and fixed (SQ DDS) models. In the air, tactical drones extend the surveillance reach of surface assets beyond the horizon.
| Domain | Systems Offered | Primary Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | SQ family of modular USVs | Hydrographic survey, environmental monitoring, MCM, ASW |
| Underwater | Fixed (SQ DDS), portable (SQ PDDS), and long-range (SQ UDS) sonars, ROVs | Port security, naval base defense, critical infrastructure protection |
| Air | Tactical UAS | Beyond-horizon surveillance |
Liguria Hub and Phased Growth
Headquartered in Bordighera on the western end of the Ligurian coast, Sentiq sits within reach of Italian maritime hubs in Genoa and La Spezia, as well as French technology clusters in Sophia Antipolis and Toulon.
The firm’s expansion strategy consists of three phases: first, broadening and solidifying global technology alliances; second, establishing a western Liguria facility for testing, integration, and assembly; and third, providing comprehensive Italian support and training services for both domestic and overseas clients.
