A kamikaze naval drone PIRANHA destroyed a maritime target with a warhead 100 kilograms while being controlled through a Bayraktar TB2this is an aerial drone, during maneuvers TURNAs-2026 of the Turkish Navy that took place in the Gulf of Antalya and the eastern Mediterranean between October 19 and 27. The demonstration was part of the day of observers of these maneuvers of unmanned naval systems which took place on the 25th.
The particularity of the essay lies in introduce a drone into the communications chain that allows the naval drone to be directed. According to the Turkish company MKEmanufacturer of the PIRANA, TB2 acted as an intermediary to transmit the orders, an approach that allows expand radio coverage by placing the link at altitude and overcome the limitations of a direct connection between two points close to the sea surface.
MKE presents the PIRANA as a semi-autonomous vessel that can be handled by one operatorwith automatic navigation modes, and the Turkish company also Baykarwhich produces the TB2, has control stations for this latest drone with positions for the pilot and the operator of its sensors. In the demonstration, a human operator sent commands to the TB2 that controlled the MKE drone.
The PIRANA is a single-use vessel that measures 5.5 meters long and 1.6 meters wide, with a displacement of 1,450 kilograms according to the technical sheet on the manufacturer’s website. It uses a diesel engine with water jet propulsion, reaching approx. 74km/h and has an autonomy greater than 370 kilometers.
Its equipment includes electro-optical and infrared cameras, satellite navigation with interference resistance measures and autonomous route planning. The composite hull seeks reduce your radar detectionand the 100-kilogram warhead is designed to detonate when the vessel hits the target.
The Bayraktar TB2, developed by Baykar for surveillance, reconnaissance and attack, has 12 meters of magnitude, some 6.5 meters in length and a maximum takeoff weight of 700 kilograms. Its payload is 150 kilograms and has more than 20 hours of autonomy and a maximum speed close to 204 km/hin addition to automatic takeoff, navigation and landing.
MKE’s plans include using the PIRANA in attacks against ships, raids on ports and diversionary operationsboth individually and in coordinated groups. The TB2, unlike the PIRANA, is already in service, but the announcement does not specify a deployment schedule for this combination or the quantities of the PIRANA that the Turkish Navy will acquire.