Turkey is in advanced discussions with Somalia to establish a missile and space rocket test site in the Horn of Africa. This strategic move is driven by Turkey’s need for long-range testing of its ballistic missile program and its aspirations to join the global space race.
Somalia’s position on Africa’s eastern tip offers an ideal location for missile launches over the Indian Ocean. The country’s proximity to the equator enhances the efficiency and range of space rockets, making it a prime candidate for a spaceport. Launches from near the equator benefit from the Earth’s rotational speed, providing a significant boost to the rockets’ velocity.
Turkey’s Ballistic Missile Program
Turkey has been steadily advancing its ballistic missile capabilities. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed in 2022 that the domestically-produced Tayfun missiles have a range of about 560 kilometers (350 miles). Establishing a test site in Somalia would allow Turkey to conduct long-range tests without the risk of debris falling over residential areas or neighboring countries.
In February 2017, Jane’s revealed that Turkey’s state owned weapons manufacturing company, Roketsan, was developing long range Bora ballistic missiles. To all but the closest Turkey-watcher, this seems odd given that Turkey currently possesses only short range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), such as the MGM140A Army Tactical Missiles (ATACMs) (range of 165kms), the J-600T Yildirim I and II (range of 150 and 300kms range respectively). However, in 2011, the Turkish state scientific research institute, the Tubitak stated that Turkey would develop missiles with ranges of 800kms, 1500kms and 2500kms.
Deepening Ties with Somalia
Over the past decade, Turkey has significantly increased its presence in Somalia through defense cooperation, infrastructure projects, and plans for hydrocarbon exploration. Turkey is one of the few foreign nations deepening ties with Somalia as the country seeks to rebuild after years of conflict. This includes mediating between Somalia’s government and Somaliland, a semi-autonomous region.
This February, Turkey and Somalia agreed to boost their defence and economic ties in a bid to enhance their partnership and the stability of the region. The defense and economic cooperation framework agreement was signed on Thursday in Ankara by Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Somali counterpart Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, who was received as an official guest with a military ceremony.
The two ministers also discussed bilateral and regional defense and security issues and expressed their mutual support for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Guler praised Somalia’s efforts to build a national army with the Somali Gorgor commandos, a special force trained by Turkish instructors, and said they were a source of inspiration for the African continent.
Subsequently, following the recent deepening ties between Turkey and Somalia, the Turkish Navy warship TCG Kinaliada made a port call in Mogadishu on April 23. This visit is part of a larger voyage marking a century of bilateral relations between Turkey and Somalia.
Turkish officials are optimistic that Somalia will approve the request for the test site. However, there are still hurdles to overcome. Hussein Sheikh-Ali, the national security adviser to Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, declined to comment on the matter. Similarly, Abdi Ahmed Koshin, chairman of Somalia’s parliamentary sub-committee on defense, stated he was unaware of any such agreement with Turkey.
Turkey’s initiative to establish a missile and space rocket test site in Somalia represents a significant step in its efforts to enhance its missile capabilities and join the global space race. The strategic location of Somalia offers numerous benefits for long-range testing and space launches, aligning with Turkey’s ambitious defense and space exploration goals. As discussions continue, the potential collaboration between Turkey and Somalia could mark a new chapter in their bilateral relations and contribute to regional stability and development.
Turkey’s test-firing of a new short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) over the Black Sea on Oct. 18, 2022, is a reminder that Ankara possesses a significant arsenal of such missiles. It also indicates that it aims to expand and enhance that arsenal.
According to preliminary reports, the Tayfun (Turkish for “Typhoon”) SRBM developed by Turkey’s Roketsan was test-fired from a mobile launcher in the city of Rize on the Black Sea coast. The missile traveled a distance of 350 miles before crashing off the coast of the Black Sea port of Sinop. That distance is twice the range of the current ballistic missiles in the Turkish arsenal, or at least the known ones.
Roketsan unveiled the Bora-1 (Turkish for “Storm-1”) ballistic missile, which has a much shorter range of 170 miles, in 2017. According to Rocketsan, the Bora-1 has a 470-kilogram warhead and is accurate to within 50 meters. Turkey reportedly fired one of these missiles at a Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) target in Iraqi Kurdistan in May 2019.