STM has successfully conducted Turkey’s first live-ammunition swarm drone strike, demonstrating autonomous coordinated attacks on multiple targets.
The test took place at the General Nahit Şenoğul Shooting and Training Area in Ankara, where a swarm of KARGU loitering munitions autonomously navigated to a mission area and split into sub-groups to strike three separate targets under a single operator’s command.
Each drone carried anti-personnel warheads and communicated with others using a distributed swarm intelligence architecture developed entirely with domestic algorithms.
Unlike traditional unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the KARGU swarm does not rely on a central control node. Each drone independently shares data, selects targets based on payload type, and can continue its mission even if individual units fail.
STM said this distributed control approach enhances mission success and operational resilience.
STM general manager Özgür Güleryüz described the test as a milestone in autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and swarm warfare, noting that it positions Turkey among the few countries capable of operational live-fire swarm attacks.
Turkey’s Swarm Developments
In addition to STM’s live-fire swarm exercise, other developments in Turkey’s unmanned and swarm technology sector show a steady buildup of autonomous capabilities.
In July 2025, STM demonstrated a coordinated swarm operation, where six KARGU drones with mixed payloads autonomously split into sub-groups and engaged different targets. The company has since signed a contract to deliver the KARGU to an unnamed NATO member.
In November 2025, Skydagger unveiled the Toyca 05 swarm kamikaze UAV, featuring mesh communication and anti-jamming technology, along with air-launched swarm drone concepts for larger UAV platforms.
Havelsan demonstrated the Barkan 2 unmanned ground vehicle with autonomous navigation and the ability to launch loitering munitions in coordinated operations, marking the expansion of swarm concepts to cross-domain systems.
