On Saturday, March 14, 2026, the Turkish company Baykar Makina unveiled a long-range one-way combat unmanned aerial vehicle called K2 Kamikaze. The system was developed using the company’s own funds, and AI-controlled prototypes have already undergone initial flight tests in formation with five aircraft in various configurations.
Image: Baykar Makina
According to available information, the new platform has undergone field testing, which confirmed its capabilities in terms of autonomy, AI-based control systems, and formation flight.
Five K2 Kamikaze UAVs, operating from the Baykar Flight Training and Test Center in Keşan, successfully conducted flights in right echelon, line-abreast, and V formation during two days of testing, carrying out multiple sorties over the Gulf of Saros. In test scenarios, the K2 platforms used artificial intelligence, sensors, and onboard software to determine their position relative to other aircraft in the swarm, maintaining formation flawlessly and successfully completing all assigned tasks. The K2 Kamikaze UAV is also capable of performing other formation configurations, including Turan and wall formations.
According to the manufacturer, swarm-capable K2 Kamikaze introduces a new approach to the category of one-way strike systems. The next phase of development envisions variants capable of returning to base after releasing munitions on target, enabling reuse.
The project aims to deploy high-impact platforms that can be mass-produced at low cost, minimizing the use of expensive munitions. This approach is intended to enable cost-effective neutralization of critical enemy targets.
The navigation architecture of the K2 Kamikaze UAV has been designed to operate in environments affected by electronic warfare (EW), including GNSS signal jamming. The platform can estimate its position through visual terrain scanning using an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor with a gimbaled camera system and night vision, mounted under the fuselage. This allows the K2 Kamikaze to maintain continuous navigation using visual references and autonomously approach targets even in GNSS-denied environments.
The onboard EO/IR system provides reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities while enabling precise target acquisition through visual tracking. The platform also supports coordinate-based precision strikes. A satellite data link for both line-of-sight (LOS) and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) operations further enhances operational flexibility.
As emphasized by the manufacturer, the K2 Kamikaze is the largest loitering munition in its class capable of takeoff and landing from short runways. With a maximum takeoff weight of 800 kg, it carries a 200 kg warhead over distances exceeding 2,000 km, at speeds above 200 km/h and with an endurance of over 13 hours – enabling long-range strategic missions.
Baykar Makina, which has financed all its projects independently from the outset, remained the world’s largest exporter in the UAV segment in 2025. Maintaining its leadership position on the global UAV market for the past three years, Baykar set a new record in 2025 with export revenues reaching 2.2 billion USD. With 90% of its revenue coming from exports in recent years, Baykar has become a key driver of Turkey’s high-tech exports.
After ranking among the top ten exporters across all sectors in Turkey in 2023 and 2024 and receiving the Export Champions Award, Baykar led the defense and aerospace export sector in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, according to data from the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM). In 2023, Baykar accounted for one-third of the sector’s total exports; in 2024, it was responsible for one-quarter, securing Turkey’s position as a global leader in UAV exports. As the world’s largest UAV manufacturer, Baykar has signed export agreements with a total of 37 countries – 36 for the Bayraktar TB2 and 16 for the Bayraktar Akıncı.
#K2 KAMİKAZE İHA ✈️🚀
✅Yapay Zeka Otonom Sürü Uçuşu
✅Yapay Zeka Görüntü Tabanlı:
Seyrüsefer & Hedefleme & Angajman🔹2000+ km Menzil
🔹200 kg Harp Başlığı
🔹Kısa Hazırlıksız Pistlerden Kalkış
🔹800 kg Kalkış Ağırlığı
🔹Çok Defa Kullanabilme#MilliTeknolojiHamlesi 🌍🇹🇷#K2… pic.twitter.com/1JqPNZBXDB— BAYKAR (@BaykarTech) March 14, 2026
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