Türkiye’s Next-Generation Long-Range Missile Systems: The Extending Iron Claws

Türkiye’s New Generation Missile Systems at IDEF 2025

IDEF 2025, the 17th International Defense Industry Fair that showcases the capabilities of the Turkish defense industry, was held in Istanbul between 22-27 July 2025. At the fair, where many new products and R&D projects were introduced for the first time, new generation long-range missile systems stood out. Numerous missile systems, from BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air missiles to air and ground-launched ballistic missile systems, from multi-purpose loitering munitions to new generation air defense systems, whose development and mass production activities are ongoing, were exhibited for the first time.

Türkiye, through the breakthroughs it has achieved in the defense industry in recent years, has transformed from a regional power into a prominent actor on the global stage. Especially with the new systems developed in the field of long-range weapon systems, Türkiye is significantly increasing not only its defense but also its deterrence capabilities. These new generation systems, which can be described as “Türkiye’s Iron Claws,” consist of advanced weapon systems and integrated platforms that can work in conjunction with land, air, and naval elements.

The development activities of these systems, whose tests have been completed in recent years and which have started to enter mass production, are directly related to Türkiye’s goal of gaining strategic depth as a regional power, expanding its operational area in its geography, and strengthening its military power. In this context, ballistic missile systems like BORA and TAYFUN Block 1, whose development has been completed and are beginning to enter the inventory, have enabled the Turkish Armed Forces to extend their range and area of influence and enhance their regional deterrence. The BORA ballistic missile system, with a range of 280+ km, stands out for its high-accuracy navigation and guidance technologies, maintaining its hit rate even in intense electronic warfare conditions despite being a first-generation system. The subsequently developed TAYFUN ballistic missile family, in addition to its high-tech guidance and navigation capabilities, stands out with its longer range.

The official announcement of the TAYFUN Block 1 ballistic missile’s range as 800 kilometers for the first time demonstrates that Türkiye has largely overcome its foreign dependency in ballistic missile technology and achieved self-sufficiency. This development indicates that Türkiye has crossed an important threshold not only in defense but also in strategic deterrence. This has prevented the threat of international sanctions and embargoes that previously arose due to MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) export and technology transfer restrictions. It is interpreted as an indication that Türkiye has gained new capabilities to pursue a more independent and effective defense policy by prioritizing its own security needs without violating international agreements and practices.

The TAYFUN Block 4 ballistic missile system, introduced to the public for the first time at IDEF 2025, reflects this growing capability. It measures 10 meters in length, 938 millimeters in diameter, and weighs 7,200 kilograms. This is a significant increase in size compared to the TAYFUN Block 1 missile, which is 6.5 meters long, 610 millimeters in diameter, and weighs 2,300 kilograms, as well as the recently tested TAYFUN Block 3 missile, which is 8 meters long. Based on this, the TAYFUN Block 4 ballistic missile is likely to be superior to its predecessors, TAYFUN Block 1 and TAYFUN Block 3 missiles, in terms of payload and range.

Although no official range has been announced for TAYFUN Block 4, it is unofficially stated that the system has a range of over 1,400 km and a wide target envelope, including underground bases, strategic, and critical facilities, by being equipped with various types seeker and warheads, including penetrator warheads. The system’s hypersonic speed and terminal maneuvering capability are stated to give it high survivability against ballistic missile defense and air defense systems. The system can be directly described as an indication that Türkiye’s defense and security approach is based on strategic deterrence, and the development of its defense industry will continue with this understanding.

All-Round and Long-Range Operational Concept

The common point of the new generation missile and munition solutions introduced at IDEF 2025 is their versatile use and long-range capability. Systems, integrated with Türkiye’s accumulated technological knowledge and capabilities over many years, are equipped with advanced sensors and guidance methods, emerging as products suitable for a multi-directional operational concept.

The development of Türkiye’s new generation ramjet-powered air-to-air missiles, long-range air defense systems, beyond-visual-range anti-tank missiles, multi-purpose loitering munitions, air-launched ballistic and cruise missiles, and long-range cruise missiles brings about a leap in the range capacity achievable by its military power. These systems not only increase deterrence but also significantly enhance operational security by increasing the distance between the launching platform and the target.

The integration of unmanned aerial vehicle technology, where Türkiye is among the pioneering countries globally, with these long-range munitions has enabled UAVs to move beyond reconnaissance, surveillance, and direct attack platforms, gaining the ability to strike targets deep within enemy territory. These developments should be seen as part of a larger strategy aimed at expanding Türkiye’s military sphere of influence in its geopolitical environment, minimizing limitations of time, geography, and range, and increasing its regional power projection. Specifically, increasing the distance between the target and the launching platform indicates Türkiye’s new generation defense doctrine, based on principles of high-tech, flexible, and low-cost military power usage.

These developed long-range systems not only provide a range advantage but are also designed with all-round usage concept to adapt to the dynamics of the modern battlefield. These weapon systems can be highly integrated into a joint operational concept, optimizing task sharing among land, air, and naval platforms, prioritizing inter-platform synchronization, and increasing mission effectiveness. Türkiye’s developed capabilities are also fully compatible with the network-centric warfare concept, accelerating the “Sensor to Shooter” cycle and building a distributed but coordinated firepower umbrella. In this framework, each element is not limited by its own capability but contributes to total operational effectiveness through its interaction with other elements, thus standing out as a capability that can provide multi-layered deterrence and operational superiority at both strategic and tactical levels.

Türkiye’s New Defense Vision

Considering the long-range, high-tech, and versatile munition systems that Türkiye has added to its inventory and continues to develop, it is evident that its defense doctrine is significantly evolving towards a structure based on strategic deterrence, flexibility, and the ability to project power into enemy depths from long range.

This transformation moves away from the classical understanding of border defense, adopting a proactive approach that focuses on detecting and destroying threats at their source. These systems, with their inter-platform integration, high precision, electronic warfare resilience, and long-range mission capability, enable not only defense but also power projection capable of executing deep joint operations.

The technological progress demonstrated by the Turkish defense industry in this direction has now transcended the tactical level and begun to create effects at the strategic level. In this context, the new generation missile systems exhibited at IDEF 2025 should be evaluated not merely as technological products but as concrete reflections representing the direction and scope of Türkiye’s defense vision. The set of capabilities Türkiye has achieved with these systems demonstrates that its defense policies have been moved to a more independent, integrated, and effective ground, providing both deterrence and, when necessary, an effective military force employment capability in its complex geopolitical environment.