Continuing to expand its local defense industry, Turkey unveiled its first domestically developed intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of up to 6,000 km., putting most of Europe, Africa, and much of Asia in its crosshairs.
The missile, the Yildirimhan, was developed by Turkey’s National Defense Ministry R&D Center and shown off for the first time at the SAHA Expo 2026 defense and aerospace exhibition in Istanbul on Tuesday.
The missile is said to have a payload capacity of up to 3,000 kg. and, using liquid nitrogen tetroxide and four engines, can reach speeds of between Mach 9 and Mach 25.
Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, who was at the unveiling, was quoted by Hurriyet News as saying that recent conflicts, such as the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the recent war against Iran by the United States and Israel, had deeply affected global security.
“These conflicts and wars have provided very critical data for security doctrine while also increasing our responsibilities,” Güler said.
Domestic defense industry
The debut of the Yildirimhan comes as Turkey has made defense autonomy a national priority, aiming to meet nearly all of its military needs domestically by 2030; investing heavily in missiles, unmanned platforms, air defense systems, and more. The NATO nation is also attempting to build a reputation as a reliable defense supplier.
“In this era where economic cost has become an asymmetric weapon, Turkey offers its allies not only weapon systems but also technology and a sustainable security economy,” Güler was quoted by local media as saying at the event.
In the missile domain, Ankara is pushing aggressively into long-range and hypersonic systems. The Tayfun Block-4 ballistic missile is capable of reaching speeds above Mach 5 with a range of 800 km., and it carried out successful testing last week. Turkey has plans for mass production of the missile by 2026.
After being kicked out of the F-35 program, Ankara’s flagship projects include the KAAN fifth-generation fighter jet, now in the prototype stage, and the Altay main battle tank, which began deliveries in 2025. At sea, the Turkish Navy is pursuing a modernization plan that adds new submarines and air-defense destroyers,
Alongside these developments, Turkey has launched the $6.5 billion Steel Dome program, a multi-layered air defense network designed to rival Israel’s Iron Dome or Greece’s Achilles’ Shield and provide protection against aircraft, drones, and ballistic threats.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that the Steel Dome “will instill confidence in friends and fear in enemies.”
Source:
www.jpost.com
