How Turkey's new 'kamikaze' drones may outclass Iran's Shahed

“How Turkey's new 'kamikaze' drones may outclass Iran's Shahed Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Fri, 05/01/2026 - 11:05 New AI-powered platforms enable coordinated swarms, precisions strikes and resistance to electronic attacks, giving Turkey a major edge in modern warfare Turkish aviation company Baykar's K2 kamikaze drone can conduct precision strikes without using global navigation satellite systems (Handout) Off Over the past year, and two US - Israeli conflicts with Iran, Turkey has focused on how to use "kamikaze" suicide drones in warfare after seeing how effective Tehran's have been. Iran's Shahed drones have been used by Russia in Ukraine in recent years, and Iran's attacks on the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Israel during the latest US-Israeli war on Iran this year suggest they are effective against long-range targets as well. The US-Israeli assault and Iran's response is transforming modern warfare. Turkish officials have been taking notes amid rising tensions between Turkey and Israel. Both countries have emerged since 2024 as rivals vying for regional dominance. While many Turkish arms companies, including Skydagger and Turkish Aerospace Industries, are developing drones similar to the Shahed, a prominent Turkish company called Baykar was the first to cross the finish line with three separate "kamikaze" drones. The drones - K2, Sivrisinek and Mizrak - differ in specifications, range and capabilities. Low-cost autonomous drones While each has features that could compete with the Shahed, the real innovation lies in how they could work together against enemies in a layered attack strategy. K2, a large drone that can carry munitions weighing 200kg, can fly for 13 hours within a range of 2,000km without using global navigation satellite systems. It can autonomously estimate its location by visually scanning the terrain and conduct precision strikes thanks to its satellite datalink features. The drone can either destroy itself in the attack or fly back for reuse. Iran still maintains half its missile launchers and drones, US assessment finds: Report Read More » Many question the need for reuse in a kamikaze drone, but once Baykar unveiled its other platforms, the real strategy behind the concept became clear. Sivrisinek (mosquito), which was officially introduced last week, can fly within a 1,000km range and carry a warhead of more than 20kg, comparable to the Shahed-131, which holds a similar payload with a range of 700–900km. Sivrisinek is estimated to cost as little as $25,000 to $30,000 and could be used in large numbers since it is highly expendable. The drone is believed to be an updated version of the YIHA-3, which was jointly developed with Pakistan in 2023. Sivrisinek benefits from extensive battle experience and valuable real-world technical data thanks to its predecessor's use in the conflicts in Syria, Ukraine and Sudan, as well as the 2025 clashes between Pakistan and India. The latest product, Mizrak, which was revealed on Thursday, has similarities with the Shahed-136. While the Shahed-136 boasts a 2,000km range and a 50kg warhead after years of development, Mizrak has suddenly emerged with a 1,000km range and a 40kg payload. Mizrak is believed to be based on the UMTAS air-to-surface anti-tank missile developed by Turkish arms supplier Roketsan. Sivrisinek (mosquito) kamikaze drones are cost effective, simple and deadly (Handout) All three "kamikaze" unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are resistant to electronic warfare, can visually pinpoint targets without GNSS, and conduct attacks using their own autonomous capabilities and satellite links. "The Iranian UAV programme lacks proven capabilities in AI-based autonomous and network-centric swarm attack skills," said Hursit Dingil, a Turkish expert on Iran's military capabilities at the Ankara-based Centre for Area Studies. "Furthermore, the Iranian platforms have problems and limitations regarding communication ranges and satellite communication." 'The Iranian platforms have problems and limitations regarding communication ranges and satellite communication' - Hursit Dingil, Turkish expert Dingil adds that Turkey, with its inherent drone capabilities that have been proving themselves over the past decade, is quite advanced in these technologies. "Similarly, the Iranian UAV programme has disadvantages and limitations in terms of precision strike capabilities, advanced electro-optical imaging, and self-justification and navigation capabilities," he said, adding that Turkish firms possess those skills. Now Baykar plans to combine these three drones in coordinated attacks. The first sign of this strategy appeared during a demonstration in which the firm used K2 and Sivrisinek to conduct patrol flights together. Sivrisinek formed a swarm beneath K2, emerging as a joint force. Yusuf Akbaba, an independent defence industry expert, says all of Baykar's platforms can communicate with each other and conduct attacks collectively. Saudi Arabia signs drone deals with Turkey's Baykar Read More » Bayraktar TB2, a prominent armed drone produced by Baykar, could command all three kamikaze drones, Akbaba said. One source familiar with the "kamikaze" drones told MEE that in this layered approach, Sivrisineks could be used to soften critical air defence systems and saturate the airspace in large numbers, opening the way for Mizrak to take down anti-drone systems and remaining air defences. "And then K2 could drop its munition on critical assets left without any defences, finishing the job," the source said. "This could all be commanded by Bayraktar TB2 or other platforms at a safe distance." Dingil says that considering the limitations of Iran's programme, Turkey would be a stronger competitive actor in this field. "In other words, it can be argued that the Shahed-136 cannot enter this new hybrid class developed by Turkey, given its proven autonomous capabilities and inherent drone power advantages," he said. Yet, he also warned: "An important challenge for Turkey is whether the fusion of AI-based autonomous solutions with simple missile-based drones would provide a functional and efficient output in combat conditions or not." War on Iran Ankara News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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