- Turkey developed two advanced aircraft bombs, Gazap and Hayalet, enhancing strike capabilities
- Gazap is a 970kg fragment bomb dispersing 10,000 particles within a one-kilometre radius
- Hayalet penetrates up to 90 metres in hardened surfaces, surpassing standard bomb penetration
Turkey has developed two of its most advanced aircraft bombs, showcasing significant improvements in its military strike capabilities. The Gazap (Wrath) and Hayalet (Ghost) bombs have been developed by the NATO nation's National Defence Ministry's Research and Development (R&D) Centre and were unveiled at the 17th International Defence Industry Fair.
The Gazap, which weighs 970 kilograms (2,000 pounds), is one country's most powerful conventional non-nuclear aircraft bomb. It is engineered to disperse fragment explosions with enhanced efficiency. While Hayalet -- also referred to as NEB-1 and NEB-2 -- are a next-generation penetration bomb designed to pierce hardened structures like concrete and steel walls.
The R&D centre's Director, Nilufer Kuzulu, told Turkey Today that both bombs have passed the qualification and certification processes.
About Gazap
The Gazap is a 2,000-pound MK-84 aircraft bomb. But unlike its conventional counterparts, it features a fragment-based structure with 10,000 particles, which can disperse within a one-kilometre radius upon detonation, according to Kuzulu.
"Gazap disperses 10.16 fragments per square meter. This makes it three times more powerful than standard MK-series bombs," she said.
Moreover, the bomb has a modified filler and internal ribbed structure, which significantly enhances its blast impact. Its design reportedly mimics the effect of a defensive grenade and breaks apart into controlled fragments instead of random steel pieces.
The Gazap bomb can be deployed from Turkey's F-16 and F-4 fighter jets. The country also hopes to use drones in future to drop them.
About Hayalet
Per the Turkey Today report, Hayalet can penetrate up to 90 meters on hardened surfaces and has advanced bunker-busting capability.
"Standard bombs penetrate 1.8 to 2.4 meters into reinforced concrete. Our bomb penetrates 7 meters of C50 concrete-commonly used in bridges, viaducts, and nuclear facilities," Kuzulu said.
As per the senior official, in recent tests, Hayalet was dropped from an aircraft onto an island, where it penetrated 90 meters through rock and earth.
"The island is 160 meters wide. After detonation, we detected effects across the full width and even on the rear side," she said.
The bomb was also reportedly tested on reinforced C50 concrete blocks and 25 mm ribbed steel, with internal cage systems simulating real-world fortifications. According to Kuzulu, the bomb managed to pass through multiple steel cages and a 10-meter sand pool before breaking through a 1.5-ton concrete wall and travelling 600 meters further.
Hayalet is also compatible with Turkish F-16 aircraft and existing munition kits.
India Impact
As Turkey develops its military capabilities, Pakistan's growing defence ties with the NATO nation are under the spotlight. Though both Ankara and Islamabad have denied any reports of arms transfer, the Indian Army said Islamabad has used Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones to attack India during Operation Bunyan al-Marsoos.
Ankara had also expressed solidarity with Islamabad during its military conflict with India in May. With its growing defence industry, Turkey has become Pakistan's reliable defence partner, already supplying drones and naval assets to Islamabad.
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