Türkiye's groundbreaking 'short-range ballistic missile,' TAYFUN, recently underwent its second test launch from Rize-Artvin Airport last month.
ROKETSAN, the leading defense company in Türkiye, shared an exciting new video showing the test firing of TAYFUN on its social media platforms.
Ballistic missiles play a crucial role on the battlefield, typically launched from sea/submarines to land or from land to land. Once ignited, they follow a parabolic trajectory, extending beyond the atmosphere's boundary and re-entering orbit at high speeds, determined by gravity.
The speed attained by ballistic missiles after entering the atmosphere makes them exceptionally challenging to intercept. As a result, it is crucial to neutralize them in space, prior to their descent towards targets.
Anti-ballistic missiles are employed for this purpose; however, they entail substantial unit costs and require a sophisticated sensor network. Currently, only a few countries, notably the USA and Russia, possess anti-ballistic missile technology.
Historically, Sinop has been the primary site for Türkiye's long-range missile tests. However, the recent test launch from Rize is related to the specific range of capabilities of TAYFUN.
Launching a missile with such a long-range from Sinop would necessitate traversing the airspace of Ukraine or Russia. By conducting the test from Rize, this potential risk is mitigated.
TAYFUN represents an unprecedented addition to the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces, with no comparable missile system currently in their possession.
Its status as a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) holds significant strategic importance, particularly in terms of Türkiye's deterrence capabilities in both the Western and Eastern regions.
