07.05.2026 10:32
Turkey's 6,000-kilometer range intercontinental ballistic missile YILDIRIMHAN was unveiled at SAHA Istanbul. Nilüfer Kuzulu, Director of the R&D Center of the Ministry of National Defense, said, 'We have been working on the engines and filling materials inside and on YILDIRIMHAN for about 10 years. The manufacturing of both jet engines and liquid fuel engines are topics we have been working on for many years. YILDIRIMHAN is a project that demonstrates the vision of the Ministry of National Defense.'
The intercontinental ballistic missile YILDIRIMHAN, developed by the Ministry of National Defense R&D Center, stands out with its high-level strategic features, especially its 6,000-kilometer range. The missile, which has 4 liquid fuel rocket motors, holds the distinction of being the largest intercontinental ballistic missile Turkey has ever developed.
RESULT OF 10 YEARS OF WORK The missile, which is 17.5 meters long and 1.5 meters in diameter, emerged as a result of approximately 10 years of work. YILDIRIMHAN also drew attention with its design. While one side of the missile bears the tugra of Sultan Yildirim Bayezid Han, the nose section features the signature of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
"EVEN SERIAL PRODUCTION OF ITS FUEL IS QUITE DIFFICULT" Providing information about YILDIRIMHAN, Turkey's largest intercontinental ballistic missile, Nilufer Kuzulu, Director of the Ministry of National Defense R&D Center, stated that YILDIRIMHAN reflects the vision of the Ministry of National Defense. Kuzulu said, "YILDIRIMHAN is a ballistic missile with a range of 6,000 kilometers, intercontinental. It has 4 liquid fuel rocket motors at the rear. Inside, there is a fuel mixture consisting of UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide. Therefore, its speed is 9 Mach within the atmosphere and 25 Mach outside the atmosphere, according to our current plans. Liquid fuel is actually a product not produced in Turkey. We have been working on both the motors and the filler materials in and on YILDIRIMHAN for about 10 years. The manufacturing of both jet engines and liquid fuel engines has been a subject we have worked on for many years. However, serial production of the fuel is a very difficult process. Previously, we could only produce trace amounts in a laboratory environment, but by working on it and changing the operating systems, the Ministry decided to bring forth YILDIRIMHAN once we moved to serial production."
"WE HAVE VERY SKILLED EMPLOYEES" Emphasizing that YILDIRIMHAN is an important project showcasing the vision of the Ministry of National Defense, Kuzulu stated, "As the Ministry of National Defense, we have approximately 27 military land and air factories and 4 major shipyards. It actually has a history of about 100 years. All of these factories have technical personnel, and they have been working on the maintenance, repair, and modifications of all materials in the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces for many years. So, this is not something new, actually. We have very talented factories and very skilled employees. We are showcasing this here as a reflection of our vision. We thank all our working colleagues, especially our R&D Center personnel."