PARIS — Turkish defence manufacturer Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE) has unveiled a larger armed unmanned surface vessel (AUSV) variant of its PIRANA sea drone at Euronaval 2026 in Paris. The new version is designed to carry specialised payloads, coordinate unmanned systems and support maritime operations.
Developed using company concepts and feedback from Turkish Navy trials, the new PIRANA is intended to serve as a command-and-control node for drone swarms. It is three times heavier than earlier variants and offers ten times their payload capacity, with an internal bay capable of carrying up to 1,000 kilograms of equipment.
At Euronaval, MKE displayed the AUSV with eight tube-launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) inside its payload bay. The design can also accommodate other mission packages and payloads.
PIRANA AUSV: Specifications and Missions
The new AUSV differs from the existing PIRANA Kamikaze Unmanned Surface Vessel (KUSV), which is designed for direct attacks on surface targets using a 100-kilogram warhead.
The larger AUSV is intended for broader operational roles, including coastal patrol, electronic warfare (EW) and maritime communications support. Its communication suite includes radio frequency (RF), satellite communications (SATCOM) and LTE links to maintain data connectivity during swarm operations.
The platform has a stated operational range of 400 nautical miles and a top speed exceeding 35 knots. It follows MKE’s “Effective, Simple and Affordable” (Etkili, Basit ve Ucuz) design philosophy for asymmetric warfare.
Turkish Navy Tests PIRANA Drone Operations
The new variant builds on Turkish Navy trials involving unmanned systems and airborne data-link relays.
In June 2025, operators aboard the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu (L-400) successfully controlled a PIRANA through a linked connection relayed by a Baykar Bayraktar TB3 drone.
During Exercise Denizkurdu 2026 in September, a PIRANA KUSV destroyed a surface target using a live 100-kilogram warhead. In October 2026, during Exercise TURNAs-2026, another PIRANA KUSV struck a surface target while operating through a Bayraktar TB2 data-link relay. The airborne relay extended the drone’s operational strike range beyond the coastal radar horizon.
The existing PIRANA KUSV is approximately 4.5 to 5.5 metres long, with a beam of around 1.6 metres and a displacement of 1,200 to 1,450 kilograms, depending on configuration. It uses diesel-waterjet propulsion, reaches speeds exceeding 40 knots and has a range of more than 200 nautical miles while carrying its warhead.
The platform supports remote and autonomous operation, uses electro-optical sensors and can operate individually or in swarms. Its integration with airborne platforms also enables over-the-horizon control.
Development From IDEF 2025 Concept
MKE first presented an early concept of the expanded PIRANA variant at IDEF 2025, showing a platform capable of launching loitering munitions or UAVs.
The company is displaying the PIRANA family alongside other naval products, including the DENİZHAN naval gun, at Euronaval 2026, which runs from 3 to 6 November in Paris.
The expanded AUSV adds payload delivery, communications and swarm-control functions to the PIRANA family, extending its role beyond the direct-attack mission of the existing kamikaze variant.
Main Source : Navel news
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