Turkey's Baykar unveils three kamikaze drones that may outclass Iran's Shahed, experts say

ISTANBUL — Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar has unveiled three new kamikaze drones — the K2, Sivrisinek and Mizrak — that defence experts say could outclass Iran's Shahed series in autonomous capabilities and swarm tactics.

The K2 is a large drone capable of carrying munitions weighing 200kg, with a flight endurance of 13 hours and a range of 2,000km without relying on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). It can autonomously estimate its location by visually scanning terrain and conduct precision strikes via satellite datalink. The drone can either destroy itself in an attack or return for reuse.

Sivrisinek (Turkish for mosquito) has a 1,000km range and carries a warhead of more than 20kg, comparable to Iran's Shahed-131, which has a similar payload and a range of 700–900km. The drone is estimated to cost between $25,000 and $30,000, making it highly expendable for large-scale use. It is believed to be an updated version of the YIHA-3, jointly developed with Pakistan in 2023, and benefits from operational data gathered in conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, Sudan and the 2025 clashes between Pakistan and India.

Mizrak, revealed on Thursday, has a 1,000km range and a 40kg payload. It is believed to be based on the UMTAS air-to-surface anti-tank missile developed by Turkish arms supplier Roketsan.

All three drones are resistant to electronic warfare, can visually pinpoint targets without GNSS, and conduct attacks using 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."

Dingil added that Turkey, with its drone capabilities proven over the past decade, is 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, noting that Turkish firms possess those skills.

Yusuf Akbaba, an independent defence industry expert, said all of Baykar's platforms can communicate with each other and conduct attacks collectively. The Bayraktar TB2, a prominent armed drone also produced by Baykar, could command all three kamikaze drones, Akbaba said.

A source familiar with the drones told Middle East Eye that in a layered attack strategy, Sivrisineks could be used to soften critical air defence systems and saturate 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 said that given 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. However, he 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."