Turkey has introduced their first hypersonic ballistic missile, the Tayfun Block-4, at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF 2025) in Istanbul.
It is developed by Turkish defense contractor Roketsan, the missile represents a significant advancement in the country’s defense capabilities.
The Tayfun Block-4 ballistic missile is the accelerated version of the Tayfun missile. Predominantly, it is the longest-range native version of the Turkiye produced ballistic missile.
However, the new revelation in hypersonic technology, primarily defined as the missile which retains the capability of traveling faster than the speed of Mach 5.
In this connection, Turkey has officially joined a selected group of nations such as Russia, United States and China. These countries have been actively involved in global hypersonic weapons development.
While the current evolution shows that Turkey’s entry into hypersonic weapons results in regional stability, particularly in the light of ongoing disputes between Ankara and Athens, comprising the issues of airspace, territorial waters and the broader NATO dynamics.
In this regard, President of the Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan praised the Turkey’s extension of independence in defense capabilities in terms of overcoming international pressure as, “Today, we are not only witnessing the development of the Turkish defense industry but also the march of a nation toward independence.”
With the current development of Tayfun Block-4, Roketsan, a weapons manufacturer in Ankara has introduced other systems as well. It includes Gökbora, an air-to air missile with a range approximately exceeding 160 kilometers designed for advanced Turkish aircraft like the KAAN fighter jet.
Moreover, Eren, a 35-kilogram drone launched a weapon equipped with artificial intelligence. It retains the properties of engaging air and ground targets at over 100 kilometers. Whereas, the drone uses both the American GPS and Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), to move if the country operating the drone has been blocked in a specific region.
In addition, IHA 300, an air launched missile for high altitude drones and fighter jets with a range over 500 kilometers.
Nevertheless, Tayfun Block-4 is a remarkable innovation in defense industry and retains the potential of future partnership with international forums.
The six-day IDFF 2025 event, an international platform for exhibiting new technological development, will continue till July 27, showcasing a wide range of military technology, underlining Turkey’s vision to become a leading player in the military industry.