Turkey presented its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at the defense and aerospace exhibition SANA 2026 in Istanbul. At the same event, a new long-range kamikaze drone was also reported — a demonstration of the scale to which our southern neighbor has developed its own defense industry.
Yıldırımhan - a thunderbolt from 6,000 kilometers
The missile is named Yıldırımhan (thunderbolt - type) and was developed by the Research and Development Center of the Ministry of National Defense. Its range reaches 6,000 km, and its speed varies between Max 9 and Max 25, the Anatolian Agency reported.
It is powered by four rocket engines running on liquid nitrogen tetroxide as fuel.
Πyıldırımhan's announcement of the 2026 SANAA makes it one of the most ambitious projects in the history of the Turkish defense industry. industry. However, it also raises a number of questions.
Π Almost all the countries that are potential geopolitical rivals of Turkey are located closer together. However, the 6,000 km range covers almost the entire territory of Russia - including the regions where its military industry is concentrated.
In addition, when approaching a target closer, the missile can perform more maneuvers, which will allow it to overcome its defenses.
At the same time, this class of ballistic missiles is usually not designed only for conventional warhead. What is different about Yıldırımhan is the ability to carry as much as 3000 kilograms of cargo. Even without a nuclear device, such an explosive, falling from space, can easily destroy a heavily fortified base or a large factory.
Ahead of the intercontinental debut and Kuzgun (raven - type) — a kamikaze-type long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by STM. Its range exceeds 1,000 km, and the warhead is designed to inflict heavy damage on strategic targets.
"With Kurzgun, we aim to raise our country's strategic deterrence to a new level", said Yozgur Guleruz, executive director of STM. He pointed out that the system will be able to autonomously neutralize critical infrastructure — from command centers to air defense elements and radar equipment.
The drone weighs 200 kg, flies at an operational altitude of 3,500 m and can stay in the air for over six hours. It can be fired from a rocket launcher from mobile ground platforms or stationary gunnery stations, without the need for a runway, which significantly expands its operational flexibility.
Kuzgun is equipped with local software and a navigation system resistant to radio-electronic interference — a characteristic that STM identifies as critical in conflict zones with intense GNSS signal jamming.
The system performs a fully autonomous flight along a pre-set route and hits the target with high precision.
Time for deals?
It is no coincidence that the intercontinental ballistic missile and the new strike drone were presented at the exhibition. SANAA is a "showcase" of the Turkish military industry, with deals worth $6.2 billion last year alone, while this year's is expected to reach a record of over $8 billion.
Around 200 delegations from 120 countries are in Istanbul. They will see 203 new product launches, and over 160 contract signing ceremonies planned during the exhibition.
Typia - unlike the US and Russia, is a supplier without much geopolitical "baggage" and for many countries its military production becomes an increasingly attractive option. If a few years ago this was, for example, the Vauractar drones, now the situation in the world is such that customers can also be found for long-range missiles.