Türkiye has successfully tested the Block-3 version of its TAYFUN ballistic missile against a moving target at sea, demonstrating anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) capability within NATO.
The test firing was conducted at the Sinop firing range in the Black Sea and was announced on July 4 by Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, President of the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries. According to the statement, the missile struck the moving maritime target with a direct hit. Video footage released alongside the announcement showed the target being successfully struck. No specific technical details were provided regarding the engagement range, target speed, or the type of terminal guidance used.
The TAYFUN missile, developed by Roketsan, is Türkiye’s longest-range domestically produced ballistic missile. Initial test firings of the system began in 2022, and development work on different variants has continued since then. At the IDEF 2025 defence exhibition, the hypersonic Block-4 variant of the missile was unveiled.
In the latest test, the Block-3 missile reportedly struck a moving maritime target approximately 7 meters in size. For a ballistic missile, achieving a hit on a target of this size while it is in motion indicates a high level of terminal accuracy and guidance performance.
This test marks the first public demonstration of Türkiye engaging a maritime target with a ballistic missile. If confirmed as an operational capability, it would make Türkiye the first NATO member to demonstrate an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) capability. However, Turkish officials have not yet confirmed the operational role of the system or provided further details on its intended use against naval targets.
No additional information regarding the test range, flight profile, or performance data has been released. Official statements and defense analysts confirm that the TAYFUN Block-3 travels at hypersonic speeds (meaning exceeding Mach 5) during its terminal (final) dive toward the target. Achieving hypersonic speeds while dynamically tracking a small, moving 7-meter maritime target means the Block-3’s new terminal seeker head has to withstand extreme friction and plasma shielding, which is a major technological leap for Türkiye. The baseline TAYFUN Block-1 has a demonstrated test range of 561 km (achieved during its public debut in 2022) and an operational range estimated up to 800 km. For an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) tracking moving targets, the operational envelope typically requires extensive over-the-horizon radar or drone targeting. Analysts estimate the Block-3 retains the 500–800 km range of the core family, safely placing the entire Black Sea and large portions of the Eastern Mediterranean within its strike zone from mainland Türkiye.
