Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced that the planned range of the first Turkish ballistic missile named Typhoon could nearly double to about 1000 kilometers. This update was reported by TASS, underscoring Ankara’s push to expand its domestic missile capabilities. Erdogan had previously stated the Typhoon missile range at 560 kilometers, and he indicated that after consulting with experts, a thousand-kilometer reach could be achievable in the near term. This assertion reflects Turkey’s ongoing efforts to advance its defense industry and strengthen its strategic deterrence.
Selcuk Bayraktar, who previously led Baykar, has been central to Turkey’s development of indigenous unmanned systems. In recent statements, Bayraktar highlighted a series of milestones achieved by Turkish engineers, including the successful launch of Turkey’s first supersonic unmanned weapon system. The emphasis on homegrown capability highlights a broader national program to integrate advanced unmanned platforms with longer-range strike options.
One notable project is the Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned combat aerial vehicle, whose first flight in Turkey occurred on 14 December. Kızılelma stands as a major element of the MIUS program, a broad, multi-component effort to develop a family of unmanned systems with complementary roles on future battlefields.
Kızılelma is described as a supersonic unmanned aerial vehicle developed within the MIUS framework, designed to operate alongside other Turkish air and land systems. In addition to domestic design elements, the program has included collaboration on powerplant options, with discussions around the possibility of installing engines like the Ukrainian AI-322F to expand performance envelopes. The first flight of this engine-equipped configuration marked a significant step in evaluating propulsion choices for high-speed, long-endurance missions.
In November, Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s intent to extend the range of its domestically produced ballistic missiles, signaling continued prioritization of strategic weapons development and the capability to project power further afield. The broader context for these announcements includes ongoing investments in research and production facilities, supply chains for precision-guided munitions, and the training of technical personnel to sustain rapid innovation.
Analysts note that Turkey has positioned itself as a rising player in defense technology, steadily advancing from off-the-shelf acquisitions toward a more autonomous ecosystem of missiles, drones, and related systems. The dialogue around enhanced range and new propulsion options reflects both the ambition and the challenges inherent in maintaining a cutting-edge, domestically controlled defense industrial base. Observers also point to geopolitical considerations, including regional security dynamics and the desire to preserve strategic options in a shifting global landscape.
While the specifics of timelines and performance figures in defense programs often evolve with test results and budgetary decisions, the overarching trend in Turkish defense planning remains clear. The nation seeks to diversify its capabilities, reduce reliance on external suppliers, and demonstrate the practical viability of high-speed, long-range unmanned and ballistic systems through a series of staged demonstrations and evaluations.
Overall, the narrative around Typhoon, Bayraktar projects, and the Kızılelma aircraft illustrates a coordinated national effort to push frontier technologies forward. Turkish leadership continues to frame these developments as essential to national security and regional influence, while engineers and program managers focus on turning ambitious design goals into reliable, tested assets. As programs progress, updates about range, propulsion, and integration with other platforms are expected to shape ongoing discussions about Turkey’s strategic posture and its role in contemporary defense innovation.