Turkey has developed a “most powerful” thermobaric bomb capable of blasting below 90m of rock and earth, according to state media.
The 970kg Gazap (Ghost) and Hayalet (Wrath) weapons were developed by the Turkish defence ministry and unveiled this week.
Thermobaric weapons, sometimes referred to as vacuum bombs, fuel-air munitions or aerosol bombs, use oxygen mixed with fuel to create a high-temperature explosion.
A Turkish official said the Hayalet bomb was dropped onto an island and was able to blast through 90m of rock and earth.
“The island is 160 meters wide. After detonation, we detected effects across the full width and even on the rear side," they said.
"The explosion, which normally takes 25ms (milliseconds), was timed to 240ms, making it more destructive," the official added.
The weapon can be dropped from a US-made F-16 fighter jet, according to state media. Russia has also used thermobaric bombs in Ukraine.
In 2007, Moscow announced what it called the “father of all bombs”, claiming it was four times more powerful than Washington’s equivalent.
The American 21,600lb weapon is also known as the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb. While they are not used for precision strikes, thermobaric missiles can be deployed for clearing stretches of ground.
Thermobaric weapons use oxygen from the surrounding air to create a high temperature explosion. They also have blast effects that last longer than a conventional explosion.
In 2024, it was revealed that Russia started churning out thermobaric drones. They were able to create a vortex of high pressure and heat that can penetrate thick walls.
They suck out all the oxygen in their path, and have a fearsome reputation because of the injuries inflicted even outside the initial blast site: Collapsed lungs, crushed eyeballs, brain damage, according to the AP.
The Turkish bomb was unveiled at the 17th edition of the six-day IDEF defence fair, which started on Tuesday, and is being held at the Istanbul Fair Center.
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