Turkiye has unveiled a prototype of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) as part of a push to become self-reliant and to gain a foothold as a key defence player in the Middle East and among its NATO allies.The ICBM, named Yildirimhan, meaning “lightning” in Turkish and developed by the Defence Ministry’s research and development centre, was unveiled on Tuesday at the SAHA 2026 Defence and Aerospace Exhibition at the Istanbul Expo Centre.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listWhy is this ICBM model significant, and what does it mean for Turkiye’s defence industry? Here’s what we know:What do we know about the Yildirimhan missile and why is it significant?The Yildirimhan has a range of 6,000km (3,278 miles). According to the Federation of American Scientists, ballistic missiles with a range exceeding 5,500km (roughly 3,418 miles) are classed as ICBMs. If launched from Turkiye, the Yildirimhan will be able to hit targets across Europe, Africa and Asia.According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, the ICBM’s maximum speed is Mach 25, which is 25 times the speed of sound. It has four rocket propulsion engines and is fuelled by liquid nitrogen tetroxide. Its warhead has a payload capacity of 3,000kg.Turkiye has not begun the production of the missile yet.Addressing the exhibition in Istanbul on Tuesday, Defence Minister Yasar Guler said, “In this era where economic cost has become an asymmetric weapon, Turkiye offers its allies not only weapon syste …
