BREAKING NEWS: Türkiye successfully conducts new live-fire test of Tayfun hypersonic ballistic missile.

Türkiye has completed another successful live-fire test of its indigenously developed Tayfun hypersonic ballistic missile, Anadolu Ajansı reported on December 12, 2025. The precision strike underscores the system’s operational readiness and signals a shift from development into mass production and active delivery.

Türkiye has carried out a new live-fire test of its Tayfun hypersonic ballistic missile, marking a significant milestone in the country’s long-range strike ambitions. Anadolu Ajansı reported on December 12, 2025, that the missile struck its designated target with high accuracy, reinforcing confidence among Turkish defense officials that the program is moving beyond testing and toward sustained production and operational deployment.
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Turkish defense industry footage shows the test fire of the Roketsan-developed Tayfun hypersonic ballistic missile, launched from a dual-container TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) 8x8 truck. The missile achieved a high-precision strike, marking a milestone in Türkiye’s transition to operational hypersonic capabilities. (Picture source: Roketsan Video footage)

Türkiye officially presented its first hypersonic ballistic missile, the Tayfun Block-4, at the opening of the 17th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025, held in Istanbul from July 22 to 27. The missile was developed by Roketsan and introduced alongside five additional systems, marking a major milestone in Türkiye's ongoing expansion of its long-range strike capabilities. The unveiling signaled Ankara’s strategic ambition to field next-generation deterrent systems tailored to regional security realities and operational independence from foreign suppliers.

This latest launch, confirmed by Turkish defense sources and accompanied by video footage circulating on official and open-source platforms, suggests that the Tayfun is no longer a proof-of-concept weapon but a deployable hypersonic system. In contrast to earlier prototypes, which had fewer visual identifiers, the recent test showcased a fully integrated launch unit mounted on a purpose-built 8×8 military truck acting as a Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL). Army Recognition’s initial analysis of the visual material reveals a dual-container configuration mounted at the rear of the truck chassis, each container housing a ready-to-launch missile, a notable shift from previous single-missile tests and a clear indication of readiness for field deployment.

Developed by Roketsan, the Tayfun (meaning "typhoon" in Turkish) represents Türkiye’s boldest foray yet into the realm of hypersonic weapons, placing it among a select group of nations including the United States, Russia, China, North Korea, and India that are actively developing or fielding hypersonic-capable platforms. While most of these countries are focused on advanced hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs) or scramjet-powered cruise missiles, Türkiye’s achievement stands out due to its accelerated timeline, operational fielding, and indigenous industrial base. With the Tayfun, Türkiye becomes the first NATO country outside the United States to operationalize a hypersonic ballistic missile, marking a critical shift in the alliance’s technological landscape.

Hypersonic weapons, defined by their ability to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, or more than 6,100 km/h, while maintaining maneuverability through the atmosphere, are reshaping strategic doctrines worldwide. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles that follow a predictable arc, hypersonic systems are designed to evade missile defenses by altering trajectory mid-flight, reducing response time for interception, and increasing the survivability of the payload. These characteristics make them ideal for time-critical, high-value target strikes, and their proliferation is triggering a new global arms race in advanced strike systems.

The Tayfun’s design reflects several key features consistent with hypersonic-capable medium-range ballistic systems. According to publicly available footage and expert assessments, the Tayfun Block-4 incorporates a solid-propellant two-stage booster, enabling rapid acceleration and sustained high-speed flight. Estimates based on the flight profile suggest it reaches speeds of at least Mach 6, approximately 7,350 km/h, and potentially higher depending on atmospheric conditions and altitude. The missile is launched vertically and follows a depressed trajectory, minimizing radar detection and interception windows. Its terminal phase is believed to involve a maneuverable reentry vehicle (MaRV), allowing mid-course corrections and evasive maneuvers, a hallmark of modern hypersonic designs.

In terms of dimensions, the Tayfun is approximately 7-8 m long, with a launch weight likely exceeding 5 t. Its reported operational range exceeds 1,000 km, placing it firmly in the category of medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs). The missile is compatible with mobile TEL platforms, enabling rapid deployment and enhanced tactical flexibility across Türkiye’s diverse terrain. The twin-container TEL configuration enables back-to-back launches or immediate re-strikes, a significant force multiplier in active combat scenarios.

Video analysis by Army Recognition also shows refinements in missile ejection and plume behavior, suggesting that the Tayfun uses a cold-launch method where the missile is expelled from the container before the main engine ignites. This technology reduces thermal signature and minimizes wear on the launch platform, further aligning the system with modern ballistic launch techniques observed in Chinese and Russian equivalents. The TEL appears to be based on a domestically manufactured 8×8 heavy-duty tactical truck.

Sources within the Turkish defense industry have hinted that Tayfun is part of a broader strategic push by Ankara to establish long-range, sovereign precision-strike capabilities. The integration of mobile TELs dramatically enhances the missile’s survivability and deployability across varying terrains, particularly in Türkiye’s complex regional security environment. This configuration enables rapid repositioning, shoot-and-scoot tactics, and reduced vulnerability to preemptive strikes.

Strategically, the deployment of Tayfun is likely to reshape power dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Aegean, and potentially beyond. Türkiye’s decision to publicize this successful test, accompanied by footage and state media amplification, sends a clear signal to regional competitors and NATO partners that it is accelerating its indigenous deterrent capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions. While Türkiye remains a NATO member, it has increasingly asserted a more independent defense posture, exemplified by its pursuit of strategic autonomy in missile technology, aerospace, and unmanned systems.

Turkish defense officials have remained tight-lipped about potential export plans for the Tayfun missile, but industry watchers speculate that it could eventually be offered to select allies in Asia, the Gulf, or North Africa under strict end-use conditions. However, its hypersonic classification and potential WMD-delivery capacity may place it under the scrutiny of international arms control regimes, particularly the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), to which Türkiye is not a signatory.

As of now, the Tayfun hypersonic ballistic missile stands as a potent symbol of Türkiye’s expanding military-industrial complex, joining other indigenous programs such as the Altay main battle tank, the TCG Anadolu LHD, and the Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet. The transition from test phase to production and delivery suggests that Türkiye is actively building an operational hypersonic strike force, further narrowing the technological gap with top-tier military powers.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.