<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-03-17</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000320121</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TELOS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TLSRP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001319503</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Siegel Andrew R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O COSTA BRAVA PARTNERSHIP III, LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>237 PARK AVENUE, SUITE 800</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001319558</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>White Bay Capital Management LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O COSTA BRAVA PARTNERSHIP III, LP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>237 PARK AVENUE, SUITE 800</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001071036</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HAMOT SETH W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>68 HARVARD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BROOKLINE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02445</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001319943</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>68 HARVARD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BROOKLINE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02445</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001319959</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Costa Brava Partnership III LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>68 HARVARD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BROOKLINE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02445</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>12% Cumulative Exchangeable Redeemable Preferred Stock, $.01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14476</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>12% Cumulative Exchangeable Redeemable Preferred Stock,$.01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>344111</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">12% Cumulative Exchangeable Redeemable Preferred Stock, $.01 par value per share</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">White Bay Capital Management, LLC disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.  Costa Brava Partnership III, LP, Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot and Seth Hamot have no beneficial ownership of these shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Beneficial ownership is disclaimed by Seth Hamot, Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot, Andrew R. Siegel and White Bay Capital Management, LLC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares are owned by Costa Brava Partnership III, LP.  Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot, LLC is the sole general partner of Costa Brava Partnership III, LP and Seth Hamot is the sole member and manager of Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot.  Pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between White Bay Capital Management, LLC and Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot, LLC, White Bay Capital Management, LLC has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from or the proceeds from the sale of, the shares owned by Costa Brava Partnership III, LP.  Mr. Siegel is the sole member and manager of White Bay Capital Management, LLC.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>ANDREW R. SIEGEL, individually and as manager of White Bay Capital Management, LLC.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-03-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SETH W. HAMOT, individually and as manager of Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot, LLC, on its own behalf and as General Partner on behalf of  Costa Brava Partnership III, LP</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-03-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
