Turkey's PİRANA kamikaze boat hits 58 mph with 230-mile strike range

Turkey’s state-owned defense company Makine ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE) has developed the PİRANA, a kamikaze unmanned surface vessel designed for maritime loitering munition roles. The PİRANA is a crewless boat weighing 2,646 pounds (1,200 kg) that can reach speeds exceeding 58 mph (50 knots) and operate in sea conditions up to Sea State 4. It features a low radar cross-section composite hull and carries a warhead with a two-stage detonation system—a 33-pound precursor charge to breach the hull followed by a 110-pound main charge to maximize internal damage. Navigation is supported by jam-resistant GNSS, allowing for autonomous or remote-controlled operation. Final tests in 2025 confirmed its targeting accuracy with a direct hit on a 3.5-meter target. A key operational advancement is the PİRANA’s integration with airborne relay platforms, demonstrated in June 2025 during trials aboard Turkey’s