Turkey’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday unveiled the YILDIRIMHAN, a long-range ballistic missile capable of reaching hypersonic speeds, as Ankara continues to expand its domestic defense industry and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said the liquid-fueled missile is the longest-range missile developed in Turkey to date.
The missile was presented at the SAHA 2026 defense exhibition at the Istanbul Congress Center. Other Turkish-developed systems were also displayed, including a jamming software system called Gölgehan, the Güçhan turbofan engine and the PNR-35 sniper rifle.
Güler said the systems were “designed to meet the needs of the Turkish army through domestic research and development.”
He said the Defense Ministry had increased its production capacity through major investments and had become “a knowledge-based research and development system designed to develop advanced technology.”
“Maintaining this program requires constant renewal as technology advances and defense needs change,” Güler said. “This development will play a crucial role in strengthening our defense industry.”
Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has worked in recent years to strengthen its military forces and defense capabilities.
In August, Erdogan announced that the first Steel Dome air defense system, developed in Turkey, had been delivered to the Turkish military.
“This system will make a huge difference for Turkey’s air defense. This is a turning point,” Erdogan said at the time. Comparing it to Israel’s Iron Dome, he added: “We will not look at them and say, ‘Why don’t we have this?’”
Turkey has significantly reduced its dependence on foreign defense supplies in recent years. It has become a leading producer of drones and now manufactures most of the defensive equipment it needs.
In 2024, referring to Turkey’s growing defense industry, Erdogan said his country would “not rest” until it was fully independent and no longer dependent on other countries.
“In addition, we will increase our long-range missile capabilities during this period,” Erdogan said then, less than two years before the unveiling of the hypersonic YILDIRIMHAN.
Turkey, a NATO member, previously tried to strengthen its air defense systems by purchasing Russian S-400 systems. After that 2019 acquisition, the United States removed Turkey from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program and froze the sale of the aircraft and transfer of related equipment to Ankara.
A month before the first Steel Dome system was delivered, Turkey reached agreements with Britain and Germany to purchase 40 European Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets.
The aircraft, part of the so-called 4.5 generation of fighter jets, a category that includes the U.S.-made F-16, are produced by a consortium of Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. Turkey had sought to advance the deal since 2023 but had until recently faced resistance from the German government over Erdogan’s assertive foreign policy, not only toward Israel but also toward Greece and Cyprus.