Turkey unveils Gazap: Is this the most powerful non-nuclear bomb ever built?

Turkey has revealed its most powerful non-nuclear aircraft bomb to date, the Gazap, at the 17th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025 in Istanbul.

The bomb, whose name translates to Wrath in Turkish, weighs 970 kilogrammes (2,000 pounds) and represents one of the most significant leaps in Ankara’s weapons technology.

The unveiling took place at an event organised by KFA Fairs with backing from Turkey’s Defence Industries Secretariat and the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation.

This six-day fair, which has become one of the world’s leading defence exhibitions, was spread across multiple venues — including the Istanbul Fair Center, Ataturk Airport, WOW Hotel, and Atakoy Marina.

Turkey’s National Defence Ministry’s research and development (R&D) centre spearheaded the Gazap project.

According to TRT Global and Anadolu Agency reports, Gazap is now fully certified and ready for use, following extensive design, testing and qualification processes.

What makes Gazap so deadly?

At its core, Gazap is a fragmentation bomb that redefines the destructive potential of conventional weapons. It disperses an extraordinary 10.16 fragment explosions per metre (3.2 feet) — far exceeding the old standard of one explosion every three metres (9.8 feet).

This fragmentation density means the bomb can cover an extensive kill zone with controlled particle dispersion.

According to Nilufer Kuzulu, who headed the research team behind Gazap, “Unlike its conventional counterparts, it features a fragment-based structure with 10,000 particles. These fragments disperse within a one-kilometre radius upon detonation.”

Kuzulu explained the scale of the advancement, “Traditional bombs of this category typically disperse around three fragments per square metre, while Gazap disperses 10.16 fragments per square metre. This makes it three times more powerful than standard MK-series bombs.”

The approach taken is also unique. Rather than breaking apart randomly, Gazap’s structure ensures precision fragmentation.

“This design mimics the effect of a defensive grenade, breaking apart into controlled fragments instead of random steel pieces,” Kuzulu added.

Blast tests show massive impact

Video footage from military trials illustrates the bomb’s terrifying potential.

Dropped from a bomber during testing, Gazap detonates with a massive flash, sending visible shockwaves across the landscape. Moments later, a dense mushroom of smoke and debris blankets an area spanning roughly 160 metres across.

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Officials described the effect as one of the most powerful ever seen from a non-nuclear weapon. Gazap’s thermobaric properties — using fuel-air mixtures to generate extreme overpressure and heat — mean its detonation can reach up to 3,000 degrees celsius, hot enough to melt through steel and concrete.

If such heat comes into contact with human flesh, it is capable of burning all the way to the bone, highlighting why thermobaric weapons are regarded as some of the deadliest conventional arms ever created.

Compatible with multiple aircraft

The bomb is designed to be dropped from F-16 fighter jets and is also compatible with older F-4 Phantom aircraft — two of the mainstay platforms in the Turkish Air Force.

Defence officials have indicated that future modifications could allow Gazap to be deployed from drones, expanding its operational versatility.

One official reportedly said, “The R&D center has modified the explosive and filler design. Qualification and certification processes are complete and ready for use.”

Not alone: NEB-2 Ghost bunker-buster also revealed

Gazap wasn’t the only headline-grabber at IDEF 2025. Turkey also showcased the NEB-2 Ghost (Hayalet), another 970-kilogramme bomb, this time designed for deep penetration strikes.

Officials touted NEB-2 as the “best bunker-buster in the field.” Its ability to penetrate fortifications is remarkable — far exceeding the performance of foreign-made equivalents.

An official explained: “Normally, in nuclear power plants, US-made missiles penetrate 2.4 metres (7.8 feet) of C35 (standard concrete). NEB-2 penetrates 7 metres of C50 (three times stronger concrete than in nuclear power plants).”

The NEB-2 underwent dramatic field testing. Dropped on an island, it bored 90 metres (295 feet) into the ground, unleashing enough energy to trigger landslides, gas leaks, and rock destruction across a 160-metre-wide area.

What makes NEB-2 even more formidable is its delayed explosion mechanism. Typically, such bombs detonate within 25 milliseconds, but for NEB-2, engineers extended the delay to 240 milliseconds, allowing the bomb to burrow deeper before exploding.

“The explosion, which normally takes 25 ms (milliseconds), was timed to 240 ms, making it more destructive,” an official said.

A weapon just short of nuclear capability

The Gazap bomb is now considered one of the world’s most powerful conventional weapons — only a step below nuclear arms in destructive potential.

Its thermobaric nature makes it especially lethal, producing immense overpressure that crushes structures and vaporises everything in its blast radius.

Thermobaric bombs have a dark history, first being conceptualised by the Nazis during World War II, later refined and used by the US in Vietnam, and, more recently, deployed by
Russia in Ukraine, reported The Irish Sun.

While there is controversy surrounding their humanitarian impact, international law does not explicitly ban the use of thermobaric weapons on enemy positions — provided they are not directed at civilians.

The development of Gazap and NEB-2 reflects
Turkey’s broader effort to establish itself as a leader in advanced weapons manufacturing.

By investing heavily in domestic R&D, Ankara has been working to reduce reliance on foreign defence suppliers.

With inputs from agencies