Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense research and development center unveiled the Yildirimhan intercontinental ballistic missile as a mock-up at the SAHA 2026 International Defence and Aerospace Exhibition, held at the Istanbul Expo Center on May 5-9, marking a public debut for Ankara’s first ICBM.
According to the defense ministry, the Yildirimhan (“Thunderbolt Khan”) missile can reach a speed of up to Mach 25 and has a declared range of 6,000 kilometers (3,728 miles). It uses liquid nitrogen tetroxide as fuel and is powered by four rocket propulsion engines.
At the biennial SAHA expo, Turkish defense companies and public institutions showcased newly developed platforms and technologies. In addition to the ballistic missile, the expo featured air defense systems and loitering munitions developed by Aselsan A.Ş., one of Turkey’s largest state-linked defense electronics companies.
Turkey continues to expand its defense industry capabilities, including in unmanned systems, missile technologies, air defense, aviation and space-related platforms. SAHA brought together defense and aerospace companies, procurement officials, military delegations and industry representatives from Turkey and other countries.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
