Turkey on Tuesday unveiled a new intercontinental ballistic missile, advancing the Nato country's capabilities as it builds its reputation as a defence supplier.
The Yildirimhan (lightning) missile has a range of 6,000km, meaning it would be able to hit targets across most of Europe, a large part of Asia and much of Africa from Turkey.
The weapon, developed by the Turkish Defence Ministry’s research and development centre, runs on liquid nitrogen tetroxide and has four engines, according to ministry data and Turkish media.
“Turkey has taken its place among the few countries producing intercontinental ballistic missiles,” said the Turkish Defence Agency news outlet.
It was unveiled to a large crowd of Turkish military commanders and in the presence of Defence Minister Yasar Guler at the Saha exhibition, a defence and military show in Istanbul.
Companies in Turkey’s burgeoning defence industry are developing weapons and showing their products, as Ankara makes arms exports a pillar of foreign policy. Turkey, which has Nato's largest army after the US, has attracted buyers from around the world for weapons often cheaper than those of competitors.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Guler said the country’s “precision-guided munitions, developed to Nato standards” increase the military capabilities of armies, with the low-cost advantage they offer compared to foreign counterparts.
“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,” he said.
Turkey also has reason to strengthen its domestic defences, as well as sell weapons systems. It has remained largely unscathed by the war in neighbouring Iran but Nato forces shot down four ballistic missiles that were heading towards Turkey from Iran. It also remains between conflicts and postwar tension, including in Ukraine and Syria.
