Turkish company STM exports first Kargu kamikaze drone equipped with new warhead for enemy vehicle and bunker attacks.
On May 13, 2025, Turkish defense company STM finalized its first export deal for the upgraded Kargu rotary-wing loitering munition system featuring a new armour-piercing warhead, marking a significant milestone in the platform's evolution. Initially introduced in 2018 for surveillance and counter-insurgency, the Kargu has expanded into a precision-strike role and is already in use by over 10 countries in its anti-personnel configuration. The upgraded version—capable of switching between anti-personnel and armour-piercing payloads—is designed for single-person operation, supports autonomous navigation with AI-driven target recognition, and includes features such as mission abort, self-destruct, and GPS-denied environment capabilities. With a compact, portable design and enhanced adaptability for various climates and terrains, the new Kargu variant has drawn strong international interest and will be used by both Turkish forces and allied militaries later in 2025.