14.03.2026 09:50
After Iran's kamikaze drones caused significant damage to the US and Israel in the war, Turkey also launched a kamikaze UAV initiative. Selçuk Bayraktar, Chairman of the Board of Baykar, announced the K2, the largest kamikaze UAV in its class, during the pre-dawn meal, calling it a "surprise." The K2 Kamikaze UAV provides logistical flexibility on the field with its ability to take off and land from short runways.
Iran launched retaliatory attacks against the US and Israel, which attacked it, with "Operation Real Promise-4" in the 44th wave, starting an attack with kamikaze drones. Iran, which attacked Israel's cities of Kiryat Shmona, Hadera, and Haifa, as well as the US 5th Fleet and other bases in the region with kamikaze drones, inflicted significant damage on the US and Israel. Following these events, a kamikaze drone move also came from Turkey.
BAYRAKTAR SHARED SAYING "SURPRISE" Selçuk Bayraktar, Chairman of the Board of Baykar, introduced the K2 Kamikaze Drone at sahur time with his social media post saying, "Never neglect to make 'little surprises' from time to time."
KAMIKAZE DRONE K2 ADDED TO DEFENSE The kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) solutions developed within the Turkish defense industry have been expanded with the K2 by Baykar. According to a statement from Baykar, the K2 Kamikaze UAV, developed nationally and uniquely by Baykar as part of its strategy to develop cost-effective defense solutions, has been tested showcasing its autonomy, artificial intelligence, and formation capabilities. The platform, equipped with advanced artificial intelligence and autonomy algorithms, successfully completed flight tests involving 5 K2s.
Five K2 Kamikaze UAVs, taking off from the Keşan Flight Training and Test Center, successfully performed "right echelon," "line," and "V" formation flights in the sky during multiple tests conducted over the Saros Gulf for two days. In the test scenarios, K2 platforms maintained their positions within the fleet accurately by positioning themselves according to the aerial vehicles in the swarm through artificial intelligence, sensors, and software, and successfully completed their missions. The K2 Kamikaze UAV can also successfully implement different formations such as "Turan" and "wall" formations.
The K2 Kamikaze UAV, which operates with artificial intelligence-supported swarm synergy, brings a new approach to the "disposable" class in the literature. In the next step of R&D studies, it is planned to develop versions of the platform that can return to base after dropping its munitions on target and offer reusability.
The project aims to minimize the use of high-cost munitions while deploying platforms that can be produced in series with high impact power at low cost. This approach aims to effectively neutralize critical enemy targets in a cost-effective manner.
CONTINUOUS MISSION AGAINST ELECTRONIC WARFARE The navigation architecture of the K2 Kamikaze UAV is designed to operate in electronic warfare environments where global positioning systems (GNSS) are unavailable or subjected to heavy jamming. The platform can estimate its position by visually scanning the terrain through its gimbal camera and the camera system with night vision capability located under its body. Thus, the K2 Kamikaze UAV can autonomously proceed to its target by performing uninterrupted navigation even in environments where GNSS signals are completely absent.
The EO/IR gimbal camera system on board provides the platform with reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities and allows it to accurately find the target with visual locking. The platform also possesses coordinate-based precision strike capability. In addition to these features, its line of sight (LOS) and beyond line of sight (BLOS) satellite data link maximizes operational flexibility.
LARGEST KAMIKAZE UAV IN ITS CLASS The K2 Kamikaze UAV, the largest kamikaze platform in its class, provides logistical flexibility in the field with its ability to take off and land from short runways.
The platform, with a maximum takeoff weight of 800 kilograms, stands out from its peers with its ability to carry 200 kilograms of warhead munitions that offer high destructive power. Its range exceeding 2000 kilometers, speed above 200 km/h, and over 13 hours of flight time enable the platform to carry out long-range strategic missions.
Baykar, which has carried out all its projects entirely with its own resources from the beginning to the present, continued to be the world's largest exporter in the unmanned aerial vehicle segment in 2025. Baykar, which has been at the top of the global UAV market for the last 3 years, set a new record with an export volume of 2.2 billion dollars in 2025. In recent years, Baykar has obtained 90% of its revenues from exports and has become the locomotive of Turkey's high-tech exports.
Baykar signed export agreements with a total of 37 countries, including 36 for the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and 16 for the Bayraktar AKINCI UAV.