According to a report by Bloomberg, Turkey is currently in talks with Somalia to set up a site to test-fire missiles and space rockets from the Horn of Africa country.
Details
Ankara’s (Turkey’s capital) ballistic missile program requires long-range testing and Somalia’s location on the eastern tip of mainland Africa is ideal for firing toward the Indian Ocean.
The country is close to the equator, making it a suitable site for a spaceport according to sources. Testing near the equator can also help boost the range and efficiency of space rockets.
Zoom In
Turkey has long aspired to join a space race traditionally dominated by global powers, and plans to launch a rocket have been underway for some years.
Zoom Out
The chairman of the parliamentary sub-committee on defense, Abdi Ahmed Koshin, said he was unaware of any such agreement with Turkey.
The Big Picture
Turkey has been working on increasing the range of its domestically-built Tayfun missiles from about 560 kilometers (350 miles), President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in 2022.
A Somalia launch site would remove the risk of debris falling into residential areas and other countries, sources said.
Catch up on news and other tidbits on our WhatsApp Community Page, Twitter/X, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any news.
