Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense said Baykar’s Bayraktar TB3 drone successfully guided MKE’s PIRANA kamikaze unmanned surface vehicle to a direct hit during a joint test from the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu on 28 June. Acting as a relay platform, the ship-borne TB3 transmitted targeting data and commands to the sea drone, which struck its objective with precision. The ministry described the exercise as a milestone in integrating unmanned air and naval systems. It said PIRANA’s low radar cross-section, high strike accuracy and ability to conduct dynamic manoeuvres will allow the navy to mount direct attacks on enemy vessels, infiltrate ports and provide diversionary support in wider maritime operations. In a separate demonstration of naval firepower, the navy carried out live-fire drills from the new TCG Istanbul frigate on 5 July, the first vessel completed under the MILGEM programme’s fifth-batch procurement. Training targets were hit with full accuracy, according to official statements. The back-to-back trials highlight Ankara’s push to field indigenous platforms and network-centric capabilities as it modernises its fleet and seeks to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.