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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-06-02</periodOfReport>

    <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>C/O ROARK, REARDEN &amp; HAMOT, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>420 BOYLSTON STREET, 5F</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</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>420 BOYLSTON STREET, 5F</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</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>420 BOYLSTON STREET, 5F</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02116</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>12% Cumulative Exchangeable Redeemable Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-06-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>70000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7.85</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>506811</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>12% Cumulative Exchangeable Redeemable Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14476</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Beneficial ownership is disclaimed by Seth Hamot, Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot, LLC, White Bay Capital Management, LLC and Andrew R. Siegel.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">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, LLC.  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>
        <footnote id="F3">White Bay Capital Management disclaims beneficial ownership.  Costa Brava Partnership III, LP,  Roark, Rearden &amp; Hamot, LLC and Seth Hamot have no beneficial ownership in these shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>ANDREW R. SIEGEL, individually and as manager of White Bay Capital Management, LLC.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-06-03</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>2005-06-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
